Lillie "Mae" Shelton Nelsen

Lillie “Mae” (Shelton) Nelsen, 88, of Great Falls, passed away on Monday, January 16, 2023.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 26, 2023, at Central Assembly of God.

Mae was born on November 12, 1934, in Dodson, MT to Arley and Cecil (Main) Shelton. She and her family moved to the Ronan area in 1939 and from there to the family farm near St. Ignatius in 1940, where she attended the St. Ignatius schools until she graduated in 1954. She met Carrol H. Nelsen and on August 21, 1954, they were married in Ronan. Shortly thereafter, they moved to Great Falls, where they both lived the remainder of their lives.

She spent her life as a nurse. She began as a nurse’s aide and then graduated as an LPN in 1970. After graduating, she went to work at the Deaconess Hospital in the Emergency Department. She returned to school in Havre and graduated in 1981 and worked until her retirement in 1993.

Mae enjoyed caring for her family and looked forward to having family meals at her home every week for years. She was devoted to her friends and church family at Central Assembly. She also enjoyed working on many projects with Carrol. They had a number of rental houses and made many improvements to them throughout the years. They were married for 61 years until Carrol’s death in 2016.

She is survived by her children, David (Suzie) of Cascade and Daniel (Lisa) of The Villages, Florida; grandchildren, Michael (Carol), Matt (Rachel), Mark (Jessica), Stephanie (Quinn) Shelley, Kristen (Jon) Laverdure, and John; and many great-grandchildren.

Memorials can be given in her name to Canyon Life Church of Cascade or Peace Hospice.