Bette Ward Nelson Obituary

Friday evening, May 13, 2022, Bette Ward Nelson, 95, passed away. She was surrounded by her hospice nurse and staff of Brookdale Assisted Living, who stood around her while she peacefully passed, not wanting her to die alone.

Bette is survived by her sons, Jeff and Eric Nelson; daughter-in-law, Pamela Nelson; and Eric’s fiancé, Ann Hartweg; as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Bette left behind numerous family and friends who all remember her for her grace, kindness, and her beautiful smile. Her passing left a big hole in our family unit. She is greatly missed.

Bette was born in July 1926 in Van Buren Township, MN. After college, Bette went to work as a legal secretary in a law firm. She could still write shorthand to this day.

Bette married Bob Nelson, who was her true love. He passed away at home on New Year’s Day, 1989. They were an Air Force military family and moved often until Bob retired and they moved to Minnesota.

Bette and daughter Lori came to Arizona from Minnesota four years ago to live with her son, Jeff. Lori passed away in early 2019.

Bette was a self-taught artist and painted many beautiful pieces. She is known for her bird paintings and did scratch art and quilting. In fact, one quilt she made got second place in a local County Fair. Her numerous oil paintings of birds and landscapes were amazingly detailed. Whatever Bette decided to do, she did it well.