Mary Virginia Nelson, 87

Mary Virginia Nelson, 87, passed away Sunday, July 13, 2008, in Sandpoint, Idaho.

Memorial Mass will be held at Saint Joseph's Catholic Church on Friday, July 18, at noon with Father Al Scott officiating. Mary Virginia's cremated remains will be placed in the Lakeview Cemetery niche wall on the Pend Oreille River next to her husband, Jack, who preceded her in death in 2005.

Mary Virginia Burch was born in Spokane, Wash. The Burch family were pioneers in Washington state, settling in Spokane Falls, as Spokane was called, prior to statehood.

Mary Virginia attended Holy Names Academy and Spokane Junior College finally attending the University of Idaho, graduating with a bachelor of science degree in education. It was during her time at the university she met the love of her life, Jack Zumwalt Nelson.

Jack and Mary Virginia married in 1943 beginning their long, loving life together. Jack's career would take Mary Virginia from Vancouver, Wash., to Wenatchee and to Pittsburgh, Pa.

Both Jack and Mary Virginia's hearts were tied to the Sandpoint area where they finally retired to Laclede in 1979. For 20 years, the couple enjoyed life on the river they loved, gardening and cultivating many friendships.

Mary's lifelong passion was exploring the river banks searching for arrowheads and artifacts of Native Americans both on the Columbia and Pend Oreille rivers. She also enjoyed her art, especially watercolors, painting well into her 80s, to the delight of her family and friends.

She is survived her sons William Nelson (Carol) of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, Robert Nelson and Paul Nelson, both of Phoenix, Ariz., and Noel Nelson (Mary Kay) of Bellevue, Wash.; eight grandchildren and six great grandchildren; and a sister-in-law, Alice Nelson in Sandpoint.

Lakeview Funeral Home in Sandpoint is handling the arrangements. Please visit Mary's memorial at www.lakeviewfuneral.con and sign her online guest book.