NEW PALESTINE– Margaret Lucille (Eggers) Nelson, age 79, passed peacefully into the Lord’s presence on Sunday afternoon, March 29, 2009, at the home of her third daughter, Carol Watson, in Greenfield, IN, after a courageous battle with cancer.  Marge had been living with Carol and her supportive husband, Ken, since the week after Christmas 2008 to help coordinate her mother’s needs.

“Marge” as she was known by her friends and family, was born on August 12, 1929, in Lebanon, Wisconsin, to the late Rev. Theodore Albert and Elsa Louisa Hedwig (Kuerschner) Eggers.  She was the fourth of five children.  She grew up in Lebanon and Watertown, Wisconsin.  While in Watertown growing up, Marge lived on the campus of Bethesda Lutheran Homes & Services in which her father served as chaplain.  Marge attended Lutheran High School in Milwaukee, WI while earning her room and board with friends of the family by caring for their children before and after school.  After high school graduation, she attended nursing school at Arizona State University-Tempe (Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, AZ) and graduated with a B.S. in Nursing in 1951.  Marge served as a nurse at Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, AZ, and at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Lafayette, IN.  During her nursing career while at both hospitals, Marge enjoyed participating in the RN Club.  Throughout Marge’s childhood, she was an avid softball plater and while in AZ she played semi-pro softball.

Marge married John W. Nelson, farmer, banker, and life insurance salesman (deceased in 1986) from Arlington, Indiana, on September 19, 1954.  They lived in the Jeremiah Beckner Nelson home (built 1853) on U.S. 52 between Arlington and Gwynneville, Indiana until said home burned in 1974.  Afterwards, John and Marge built a new home on the same site.  Marge was a member of the Rushville, Indiana chapter of Psi Iota Xi.  She enjoyed remodeling the colonial home, flower and vegetable gardening, bowling, and serving in community projects.  She was very loving and diligent in caring for their six children.  In addition, for over twenty years, Marge successfully managed the family farm business, showing great resilience, compassion, and strength during many years of family illness. 

Marge was also a very dedicated and active member of Zion Lutheran Church of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) in New Palestine, Indiana.  The Lord used Marge’s life in the establishment of Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Rushville, IN where she was actively involved from 1972 until 1996 when she sold the family farm and moved to a country home in Greenfield, IN.  Marge attended her former church home of Zion Lutheran where she continued in regular church attendance, Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) Circle, and Women’s Bible Study.  In 2006, Margaret began to fail in health and was moved with the assistance of her LCMS Deaconess missionary daughter, Christie to New Palestine, Indiana in order to be nearer her church friends and family.  Marge was a generous contributor to her church, world mission and Bible Translation organizations, and local, state, and national charities both public and private.  Marge was witty, determined, devout, faithful, persevering, loved and respected by all.

Marge is survived by her six children, Cynthia Kay (Douglas) Nurss of Keller, TX, Deaconess Christie A. Nelson of Keller, TX, Dr. Carol Nelson RN, ND (Kenneth) Watson of Greenfield, IN, Claire Beth (Eric) Steiner of St. Louis, MO, Scott Denning (Becky) Nelson of Lakeland, FL, Erik John Nelson of Carmel, IN, and Marlena Sleeth Nelson (daughter-in-law) of New Palestine, IN; nine grandchildren, Elizabeth Joy (Jesse) Logan of Watertown, MN, Jennifer Ellen (Christian) Daemon of Omaha, NE, Dorothy Eugenie (Justin) Kopischke of Ft. Worth, TX, Joshua Adam (Norita) Nurss of Ft. Worth, TX, John Eric Steiner of St. Louis, MO, Joshua Paul Andrew Steiner of St. Louis, MO, Andrew Denning Nelson of Lakeland, FL, Taylor Nicole Nelson of New Palestine/Carmel, IN, and Sean Christian Nelson of New Palestine/Carmel, IN; seven great-grandchildren, Clay Jacob Logan, Seth Douglas Logan, Adrianna Rose Logan, Aidan Christian Daemon, Kayleigh Elizabeth Nurss, Mackenzie Grace Nurss, and Preston Carl Nurss.  In addition, Marge has three deceased siblings, Dorothy Hitch, Frederick Eggers, David Eggers, and one living sibling, Paul Gerhardt Eggers of Oconomowoc, WI who resides with his wife, Nancy.  She has 5 nieces and 6 nephews, Kathy Strade, Jim Kohl (deceased), John Kohl, Julie Vigil, Marcia Strharsky, Mark Eggers, John Eggers, Paul Andrew Eggers, Linda Liedel, Karen Rupnow, and Brad Eggers.  Marge also has a surrogate daughter from Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, who lived with her for five years while attending school, Maria Aurelia Martinez Alvarez.

Visitation will be at Erlewein Mortuary, 1484 W. U.S. Highway 40, Greenfield, Indiana 46140 (just east of Mt. Comfort Road) Greenfield, Indiana, from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 2, 2009.  The funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, April 3, 2009, at Zion Lutheran Church in New Palestine.  Graveside service and interment will be held at the Arlington East Hill Cemetery, Arlington, Indiana (east of Arlington on Hwy 52) immediately following the funeral service.  A reception will be held following the graveside service at Zion Lutheran Church, New Palestine, Indiana.  For further information, contact the mortuary at 317-467-4918.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to either one or both of the following Christian Ministries, Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, PO Box 5007, Minot, ND 58702-5007 or call 1-800-344-0957 (helps at-risk children from across the U.S. who experience severe emotional, behavioral, and developmental challenges and has assisted over 26,000 children in its 50 years of operation), or to the Bethesda Lutheran Homes & Services, 600 Hoffman Drive, Watertown WI 53094, or call 1-800-369-4636 (has been in operation since 1904 providing benefits and services to individuals with developmental disabilities from across the U.S).

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” and let him who hears say, “Come!”  Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. (Rev.22:17)

Marge was faithful to her Lord, family, church, and friends until the end - a life in Christ freely given.

Friends may sign the online guestbook at www.erleweinmortuary.com or e-mail condolences to sympathy@erleweinmortuary.com.