Alma Nelson

Obituary of Alma Marie Nelson

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Alma Marie Nelson

(December 16, 1933 - December 2, 2020)

 

Alma Marie Nelson of Edmonton, Alberta, passed away on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 at the age of 86 years.

Alma Marie was born on December 16, 1933, in Tofield, AB, to Clarence and Borghild Rude, the first of four children – Lars, Elizabeth (Betty), and Merlin.  She was one of the pupils at Bardo School where her Auntie Myrtle taught.  She would ride her horse to school until they arrived at water, was bucked off and the horse went sailing home.  She hated that horse.

At the age of 12, Alma Marie was diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes.  She would tell the story of how she was in the hospital, in a diabetic coma, and her parents were told that she probably wouldn’t live through the night.  They went home and prayed and dedicated her to God.  They said, “Father, You gave us this girl and if You want to take her home now, we surrender her life to You.”  At that same hour, the hospital staff said she woke up.

She attended Camrose Lutheran College and then obtained her first job working at Saint Mary’s hospital.  Her brother, Merlin, remembers the dress gloves with muskrat fur that she bought for him with her first pay check showing Alma Marie’s ever generous heart.

When Alma Marie met Carl, her whole world changed.  She knew that she had found the one God intended for her. She was surprised that he even noticed her, but he told her it was because of her legs.  They loved each other deeply.

Carl died in 1996.  She often commented that he was the perfect man and that she couldn’t wait to see him again.  She waited 25 years to reunite with him, but we know it was worth the wait for her.

When Garry Lane and Eric Dale were born on January 27, 1957, the doctor came to her and said, “Well, Alma Marie.  The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, but He’s not sending you home empty-handed.”  Although she only went home with one baby that day, she would tell you that her life was full.    She lovingly told the story of bringing Garry home from the hospital and putting him in a drawer to sleep for his first crib.  One of her favorite “little Garry” stories was of him stomping on crackers in the kitchen just before company arrived.

When Garry married the love of his life, Cindy, she finally got her daughter.  People always looked a little perplexed when she would introduce them.  “This is my son, Garry.  He’s married to my daughter, Cindy.”  She had someone to teach all the daughter things to.  Finally, she had that piece of her heart filled with “my girl”.

Garry and Cindy welcomed their four children and Alma Marie couldn’t be happier to become Grandma Alma.  Shannon, her sweetheart, Michael, her tiger, Lisa, her dolly, and Jesse, her sunshine.  She always made sure to have something special for them when they would come to visit.  The half white and half chocolate milk, macaroni and cheese, peppermints, and rice gret with raisins on the side.  There had to be a rotation helping Grandma draw her blood and brush her dentures as both were a coveted event.

She would read bedtime stories with all the voices and sing until you fell asleep. She was a little off key but she always said she made a joyful noise. 

As their families grew, so did her joy.  Every grandchild and great-grandchild were told they were her “favorite”.

Alma Marie was a kid at heart.  Her innocent spirit made her jump on the trampoline, run up the down escalator, climb snow hills with the great-grandchildren, and love with no bounds.

Alma Marie loved gardening and baked endless amounts of bread in her lifetime.  When she was moving from the home she and Carl had made in Belgravia to Devonshire, the first thing she wanted to know was that she could have a space to use her green thumb and that the oven would be big enough to fit all of her bread pans.

Alma Marie loved the Lord.  It came out in how she loved people with her hospital visits, M.O.P.S., one-on-one mentoring, college boarders, and healing prayer and deliverance ministry which continued her whole life.  To this day, she kept in touch with many of them calling them “my friend”.  Every night before bed, she would go through her prayer list that held the names of family, friends, and many people she crossed paths with, praying that they would come to know the presence of the Lord Jesus.

Her passions were Jesus and family and seeing her family loving Jesus.  There were many people beyond Garry, Cindy, and their family, that will tell you she was a mom, auntie, and grandma to them and she extended her heart freely.

More than anything, her one wish was that people would see Jesus in her and that they would know the love of the Lord and accept Him as their personal Savior.

“Mom and Grandma, you will be missed and we know we will see you again.” – Your family.

Left to cherish her memory are her son Garry (Cindy) Nelson of Westerose; four grandchildren; nineteen great-grandchildren; brother Merlin (Joanne) Rude of Bardo; brother-in-law Raymond (Betty) Brooks; and sisters-in-law Ingrid (David) Campbell and Gladys (Lars) Rude.

Alma was predeceased by her husband Carl; infant son Eric; parents Clarence and Borghild; and siblings Lars Rude and Elizabeth Brooks.

Due to Alberta health regulations, a private family graveside service was held. A memorial service will be held at a later date.

To view the recording of the graveside service please click on the following link https://vimeo.com/490956787/deabf88d3e

If family and friends so desire, memorial contributions in Alma's memory may be made to the Canadian Lutheran Bible Institute (CLBI), or to Clearwater College (formerly Living Faith Bible College).