Obituary of Irene Dorothy Nelson

Irene Dorothy Nelson, 93, died peacefully on August 3, 2024 at Harbourview Continuing Care Home, Sheet Harbour, NS. Born in Tangier on December 21, 1930, she was the second child and only daughter of Marjorie Olive Nelson (Mason) and the Rev. Ernest Nelson, rector of Holy Trinity Parish. Irene began her education in Tangier, then at Edgehill School in Windsor for grades 8 -12. She later attended the Anglican Women’s Training College in Toronto. She had a happy disposition and was always ready to share a funny story. She was a good seamstress, enjoyed making beaded jewelry or doing her leather work. Her relatives and friends were the lucky recipients of her belts, purses, wallets and keychains which she had tooled with various designs. She loved to play Scrabble with her nephews and nieces who didn’t mind being beaten. She taught some of the nieces to play Canasta and then was ready for a game or two each day when she came for a week’s visit in her summer break. After she retired, she moved from Winnipeg back to Tangier with her mother. But she didn’t retire from her favourite summer pastime – picking berries. First the raspberries (which they ate) and then the blueberries. Even in a field where most people would pick a quart, she’s stay until she picked a gallon. She always had enough stored in the freezer to last her mother all winter. Another winter pastime was doing jig-saw puzzles. She invited anyone who visited her to put in a few pieces. Irene was a woman of faith who loved to sing hymns so she joined Church choirs wherever she lived. She was a member of Holy Trinity Church in Tangier, the ACW group, and she also attended St. Michael’s Church when she was living in Sheet Harbour. Irene was predeceased by her parents, her brothers, Gerald E. Nelson and Sherman C. Mason and her stepfather, Clyde Mason. She is survived by five nieces, Dawn Skene (Dave), Elizabeth Court (Steve), Anne McLeod (Dave), Anne-Marie Lace-Barnes (Byron), Laura Dole, two nephews, Dwayne Mason and Ian (Tara) Mason, sister-in-law, Ethel Nelson, and cousins Sue Dyer (Jim), Peter Nelson (Theresa), Joy Fix, Joan Creed (Murray), and Duncan Mason (Elaine). The family would like to give special thanks to the nurses and staff at Harbourview for the excellent care Irene received there. She was very content and joined in many activities. The kind and caring attention, the little things that brought her much happiness were greatly appreciated both by her and by the family. A Celebration of Life service will take place at Holy Trinity Church, Tangier on Thursday August 15 at 1:30pm Rev. Fred Grainger officiating. Burial in the church cemetery. Reception to follow at the Tangier Fire Hall. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Holy Trinity Church, Tangier.