Ethel (Wilson) Nelson

Ethel's parent's, Fred Wilson and Edna Whiting, were married on October 11, 1899 at the Whiting farm. They lived on the farm south of Nora. On July 23, 1902, Ethel was the first born of four children, Wilford, Clyde and Nona.

Ethel's childhood memories, spending time at Grandma Whiting's, helping Pop on the farm, pony she would ride (named Jimmy) knocked her off by running under a low apple tree branch, attending Beech rural school near Nora.

Ethel's college days: Attended the School of Agriculture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She graduated in 1923. While in Lincoln she stayed with her aunt and uncle who ran a boarding house and owned a grocery store. She ironed sheets and helped out around the boarding house and also stocked shelves at the grocery store. The grocery store is on Holdrege Street across from the home (both are still standing today).

Ethel Wilson and Arthur Nelson married May 29, 1925 at the home of the Reverend Bebee in Nelson, Nebraska. Their attendants were her sister, Nona Bucknell and Art's brother, Everett Nelson.

Ethel and Art settled on a farm east of Hardy, NE. Ethel taught school in Nora for two years. Art tended to the crops and animals. Their first-born was Gerald on August 10, 1928. He was a very adventurous child. Once they found him playing with a "nice kitty" only to find that he was petting a skunk! Other adventures: he was at the top of the windmill tower; he took his wagon down the hill to see what his Dad was doing. Ethel hooked him to the clothesline to keep track of him when she was very busy.

Elnora was born May 4, 1931 on the family farm east of Hardy. Elnora remembers cutting sunflowers, getting spanked for smoking, wading in the Wood River to get the cows south of Alda, walking to school being pulled along by big brother Gerald.

Ardis was bon May 20, 1935. She suffered from the whooping cough and at three months she nearly coughed to death. She always walked to school and when she complained about walking to school, Ethel told her to "run awhile". Ardis was proud to have only missed one a half days in all of her school days (for Grandpa Wilson's death and funeral).

The family moved to Hall County in the spring of 1936. They lived west of Alda before buying the family farm southwest of District #6 Valley View School, spring of 1944.

Gerald, Elnora and Ardi attended Wood River Public School and graduated in 1946, 1949 and 1953 respectively. Over the years on the farm in Hall County they raised hogs, cattle, and chickens. They milked cows all their married life. Their crops included corn, oats, and alfalfa and prairie hay. Irrigating by open ditch with wooden box lathe tubes.

Ethel had 12 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren and 4 step great grandchildren.
Gerald and Verna of Cody, Wyoming, their children Bernadette and Dr. Richard Green of Casper Wyoming, their children: Laurel, Nathan, Gaven and Derek: Mark and Elizabeth Nelson of Richland, Mississippi, their children: Amanda, Austin, Tara and Charles, Greg Nelson of Cody Wyoming, Audience and Michael Sims of Cody Wyoming, Otis and Kitty Nelson of Jackson, Mississippi, their children: Gretchen, Adam and Wesley; Roxann and Gilbert Gaudern of Larkspur Colorado, their children: Rachel, Aaron, Priscilla, Gabriel and Jessica; Doug Nelson of Wapaca Wisconsin.
Elnora Weinrich of Alda, her children: Jackie and Bob Harpst of Kearney, Nebraska, their children, Geoffrey and Colton: Linda and Eddy Fredryk of Orlando, Florida, their children, Ashley, Matthew and Emily. Arid and Ron Wiese of Doniphan, their children: Ronda and Ken Winfrey of Hastings, their children: Nicholas and Jacob; Mike Wiese of Columbus Ohio, his children: Andrew, and Colin: Tami and Adam Valencia of Alda, their daughter, Abigail.

At her 95th Birthday Ethel looked back "the years have been good…not without heartbreaks and ups & downs." Ethel's words of wisdom to her family have always been "work never killed anyone." She was living proof of that.
Ethel died December 23, 1999. A Named Fund (to fund books for the library) was established in her honor.