Lorraine M. (Bach) Nelson

Lorraine Marie Nelson, 98, passed away on Monday, March 7, 2022, at Valentine’s Assisted Living in Red Wing.  Born to John and Julia Bach on December 31, 1923, in Pierce County, Wisc., she grew up in the area and graduated from Maiden Rock High School.   She married Norman R. Nelson in Rantoul, Illinois, just before he left for England with the U.S. Army Air Corp.  They met another Minnesota couple getting married on that same day, and made life-long friends with Mar & Lawrence Smith of International Falls.   Lorraine came back to Red Wing and lived with Norman’s parents, Phillip and Anna Nelson on East 5th Street.  After the war, they farmed in Wisconsin for a few years then moved back to Red Wing.  Lorraine started working at Red Wing Shoe Company, and stayed on for 35 years.  She belonged to the First United Methodist Church, hospital auxiliary, the senior center, VFW auxiliary as a member and an officer, ushered at the Sheldon Theatre and played cards in any spare time.  She and Norman visited lots of family and friends from Vermont to Alaska and most states in between.  Lorraine also went on a lot of senior tours including Hawaii.  Norman passed away in 1999 and later, she and long-time family friend, Al Eastlund, wintered in Arizona and summers in Red Wing.  After Al died, Lorraine sold her house and moved to the Downtown Plaza where she found many friends, even two classmates from high school.  She loved it there until she started to have health problems which caused a move to St. Crispin’s Assisted Living and finally to Valentine’s.  Making many new friends at each move.

She is survived by two daughters, Judy (Jim) Anderson and Jane Roschen; two sons, Dennis (Lois) Nelson and Jerry (Sharon) Nelson; 11 grandchildren, 24 great grandchildren and 16 great great grandchildren and other relatives and host of friends.  She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Norman; one infant granddaughter, one infant great grandson; brothers, Melvin, Raymond, Loren and Leo; one sister, Grace Larson; son-in-law, Robert Roschen and special family friends, Al Eastlund and Earl Nelson.

Funeral service will be 3 p.m. Sunday, March 13, 2022, at the Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel.  Visitation will be from 1:30 p.m. until the time of the service.  Burial will be at the Oakwood Cemetery.  Memorials are preferred to the donor’s choice.

There isn’t any end to our lives, it’s God’s story of increase, one life to make many, so go and live well.  To all of those who everyday make it better by giving just a bit more – a smile, a hug,  a wink, a touch, a song, we are ever grateful.  Thank You