Evelyn I. Nelson, age 83, of Sinai, died Tuesday, April 21, 2009, at the Heart Hospital, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Funeral services will be 10:00 A.M. Saturday, April 25, 2009, at Sinai Lutheran Church with interment in the West Sinai Lutheran Cemetery. Visitations will be from 4-7 P.M. Friday at Eidsness Funeral Home in Brookings.

Evelyn Irene (Maher) Nelson was born February 2, 1926, to John and Lora (Dancer) Maher in Brookings County at her parents home north of Brookings, South Dakota. She attended School District Number Twelve and Thirteen. Her early adult life was spent as head check-out girl for Red Owl Grocery Store. Evelyn also worked for Coast to Coast Hardware Store for fourteen years.

She was united in marriage to Orville R. Nelson in 1950. Orville and Evelyn lived south of Brookings for ten years until they bought a farm south of Sinai, South Dakota, where they lived for thirty-eight years. After retirement they moved to Sinai where they have lived for the last eight years.

Evelyn was a life member of both the Brookings VFW and the Sinai American Legion Auxiliary. She belonged to the Social Time Club, Happy Hour Extension. Evelyn was a long time member of Sinai Lutheran Church where she was active in Circle, Alter Guild, Quilting and Kitchen Committee. She was current president of Senior Citizens 4-Fs Club and belonged to several card clubs. Evelyn was best known as one of Brookings Countys best cooks and loved to garden and embroidery.

She is survived by her husband of fifty-nine years, Orville. Evelyns children are: Daniel (Linda) Nelson of Good Thunder, Minnesota, Irene (Tom) Wrenn of Grand Forks, North Dakota, Ronald (Wanda) Nelson of Sinai; seven grandsons; and 8 great-grandchildren. Her brother-in-law, Bill Moldenhauer of Brookings; her sister-in-law, Winny Maher of Hawthorne, California; and many nieces and nephews. Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents John and Lora Maher; one sister, Catherine Moldenhauer and two brothers, Vincent and Bernard.