Grace Nelson of Ephrata, WA

Grace Nelson was born in Lemmon, SD, the youngest of six children.  The first three years of her life were hard times for the family amidst the Depression. The family set out in the summer of 1936 to travel to western Washington to join extended family where work prospects were better.  On July 1, 1936 their truck blew a tire as they passed through Ephrata, Washington.  There was no money for repair so that is where the family stayed.  Grace’s father and brothers found farm work and the family settled in.

Her mother, Gertrude, began her family's time with St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Ephrata.  Grace went to Ephrata school from kindergarten through high school. The family lived in a modest rented house a block away from the schools. Grace was a good student and excelled in her work. She remembered Ruth Snyder at EHS as “the best teacher I ever had”.

Times remained hard for the family and Grace’s mother Gertrude set a remarkable path to strengthen the family’s future.  Gertrude found a house that was to be torn down, bought a lot, had a large basement foundation built and moved the house. She did this in a time when women had difficulty doing business for themselves.  The basement foundation included four bedrooms where Gertrude could take in roomers — construction workers on the Columbia Basin Project.  With rent from roomers, baking and taking in laundry Gertrude provided for Grace and her siblings.  Very conveniently, the home was right next to the old wooden St. Rose of Lima Church.  Gertrude and Grace’s lives were bound well together at that address Grace still remembered as safe and secure.

Upon graduation from high school Grace went to work for Cherf and Sandkay Construction. In her tasks as payroll clerk she was called upon to decipher jagged handwriting on time cards by Solomon “Slim” Nelson.  We still have payroll stubs written in Mom’s hand as she paid Dad. Slim and Grace married in 1952. Soon they bought a $1,000 house lot next to Jim Cherf (Slim’s boss) and across from the Little League field.  Slim began building a house while Grace began a family. The fragrance of a new infant mingled with fresh sawdust when baby Ron came home in the summer of 1953.

Grace excelled as a homemaker, loving and caring for her children and stretching every penny to feed a growing family. In the first years of her marriage she often was on her own as Slim worked construction projects in Idaho and Montana. In time, she was the proud and grateful mother of ten children. She was active and supportive in every way for each of her children.

Grace's life took on new meaning after Slim's death in 1991. She devoted herself to continuing to raise her children while deepening her involvement in her community—St. Rose of Lima Church, EHS sports, and her cherished TOPS club. Her generosity was boundless: she prepared thousands of pounds of peanut brittle to support the school auction, sacrificed to send her children through St. Rose School, and worked tirelessly to ensure a bright future for generations to come. Whenever a need arose—whether organizing, planning, or lending her capable hands—Grace answered the call.

Her contributions to parish and school life were woven into the fabric of the community. She typed the church bulletin, coordinated bingo and auction fundraising, the prayer chain, and food for funeral receptions. She never missed her children's athletic events, finding joy in witnessing the next generation thrive in sports. Even after her own children graduated, she remained a steadfast presence at games and an active member of the community booster club.

For decades, Grace was a dedicated member of TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly), where she learned the principles of healthy eating and portion control. Her commitment paid off: she achieved and maintained her goal weight, earning her place as a KOPS member (Keeps Off Pounds Sensibly). In this role, she became a source of encouragement and support for others on their own wellness journeys, helping them reach their goals with the same determination she brought to everything she did.

Through these community groups she developed lifelong friendships that were dear to her heart. She loved being a part of her community and was dedicated to playing her part to make it thrive.

Grace lived on her own until 2023 when poor health had her move to Parkway Adult Family Homecare. Blessed from heaven, the facility was just two blocks from the home she had lived in for 70 years. She could even look out the kitchen window and see the front door of the home she and Slim shared.

No earthly grace lasts forever and our Grace departed us on October 20, 2026.
Grace was preceded in death by her parents and siblings (Wilfred, Arthur, John, Helen and Joe).  She is survived by ten grateful children Ron (Diane), Larry (Diana), Nancy (Fritz), Terry (Marty), Kathleen (David), Dan (Judy), Jim (Charlie), Mary Beth, Scott and Eric (Julie).  She also leaves the precious gift of 22 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren.

The family cherishes the support that Grace received from all at St. Rose of Lima Church and the kind hearts of the staff and residents of Parkway Adult Family Homecare.

Rosary will be at St. Rose of Lima Church at 7:30pm, Thursday, November 5th. Funeral Mass at 8am, Friday, November 6th with interment to follow. There will be a reception at St. Rose of Lima School at 10am.  Grace was generous with her gifts during her life.  You may remember her through gifts to St. Rose of Lima School or Crossroads Pregnancy Resource Center.