contributor: Richard LaBrosse

Kelly Lake 
March 1, 2002 

Audrey L Koeppe Nelson of Kelly Lake, Wis. died suddenly on Friday, March 1, 2002, in Newport News, Va. A lifelong resident of Wisconsin, she had just moved to Virginia in December 2001 to be with her only child, George and his family. She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Elsie Koeppe, and her husband of 36 years, Alvin Nelsen. She is survived by her brother, William Koeppe of Mississippi; her only child George Nelsen; her daughter-in-law Terri Simon; a grandaughter, Rebecca Nelsen; and a grandson, Andrew Nelsen.

Audrey was born in Chicago on December 20, 1921. She moved to Oconto, Wis. in the 1930's soon after the death of her mother. She grew up with her Aunt Katherine Presl and her family, and became an elementary school teacher. She met and married Alvin Nelsen in 1954 and moved to her new home on a 120 acre dairy farm near Kelly Lake, where she served the rest of her life as a devoted, loving wife, mother, grandmother, school teacher and piano teacher. She was very active in the Oconto County school system, the Klondike Catholic Church, the Hickory Church of Christ, the Hickory Cemetery Board and the Oconto County Historical Society.

Friends may call at the Rhodes-Charapata Funeral Home, Coleman, Wis. on Tuesday March 5, 2002 from 4 to 7 pm. followed by a prayer service led by Pastor Paul Beighley of the Hickory Church of Christ until 8 pm. Visitation will continue at St. Wenceslaus Cahtolic Church, Klondike from 10 am Wednesday March 6, 2002 until the time of the funeral. A mass of Resurrection will be held Wednesday at 11 am at the church with Father John Hephner officiating. Burial will be at the Hickory Cemetery.