Barbara Kay Nelson

Barbara was born the second of four children to Allan and Sonia Thompson (Hanson) on August 27, 1955 in Grand Forks, ND. She was so proud to be a Thompson girl. She attended elementary school in Walhalla, ND until 1966. They moved to Grand Forks where she made many strong lifelong friendships and continued her education, graduating from Red River High School in 1973. Barbara went on to attend UND, Concordia and Moorhead Tech, graduating from Moorhead Tech in 1977.

Barbara moved to Fargo and worked various jobs in retail and sales. In 1979, while working at Oxbow Country Club, she met her future husband, and love of her life, Russ Nelson. They began dating in 1980 and were married ‘on a Tuesday,’ December 4, 1984 in Grand Forks, ND at Calvary Lutheran Church.

The couple lived in Fargo, ND and Mesa, AZ (winters). Barb received her real estate license in both North Dakota and Arizona and began a career she thrived in. She was a natural and excelled in helping others, but decided to focus on family when they were blessed with their first-born, Matti, on August 23, 1986. Three years later, they moved to Moorhead and were blessed again with the birth of their second daughter, Ali, on September 19, 1989.

Barb began working part time at Village Green Golf Course, where Russ is the head golf professional. It was this partnership that afforded Barb the flexibility to continue spending time on what was most important to her and what she loved the most, being a mother.

Barb was generous and giving beyond measure, always put others first and her daughters were the main recipients of her complete selflessness. She was actively involved in her daughter’s lives, whether it was volunteering at their elementary schools, throwing unforgettable birthday parties, attending soccer and t-ball games or golf tournaments. She knew no limits of her love and efforts for her girls like, talking her way into getting backstage passes at various concerts, extravagant shopping trips, or the many other activities they enjoyed doing together. They could always count on her being there. She was their rock and greatest supporter throughout their entire lives.

As the girls got older, their focus shifted to golf. Barb took great pride in the success of her daughter’s golf careers. She traveled all over the country, often with her parents by her side, to support and watch the girls compete in golf tournaments from the time they were playing junior golf, through high school golf and eventually to college golf where both Matti and Ali played for the University of Northern Colorado. Barb’s bigger than life personality made her a favorite amongst everyone who met her in the golf world throughout their years. She developed many wonderful friendships and a lifetime of memories with her girls, their teammates and families.

Barb was kind, compassionate, generous, loving and lived her life to help care for others. Her deep, unwavering Christian faith and belief in God helped guide her every single day of her life all the way until she took her last breath. No matter how hard life got at times, her faith never wavered and she never lost hope. Her family wishes more than anything she was still with them on Earth, but take great comfort in knowing exactly where she is; in Heaven smiling down on all of us.

To know Barb was to love her. She touched the lives of many with her infectious smile, contagious laugh, quirky personality, and selfless love. Although she left us far too soon, she undoubtedly left the world a better place. She will be deeply missed, loved forever, and will live on in the hearts of many.

Barb is preceded in death by her grandparents, A.C. and Jessie Thompson, Olaf and Agnes Hanson; her mother, Sonia Thompson (Hanson); her father-in-law and mother-in-law Emil and Mildred Nelson (Johnson); her brother-in-law, David Nelson; and two dogs, Bella and Nelli.

Barb is survived by her husband of 37 years, Russ; her daughters, Matti and Ali Nelson (Phoenix, AZ); her father, Allan Thompson (Mesa, AZ); her sisters, Carol Messmer (Broomfield, CO) and Patricia Trojahn (St. Louis, MO); her brother, Allan Thompson Jr. and his wife Robin Thompson (Mesa, AZ); her sister-in-law, Maureen Wilhelm (Scottsdale, AZ); Eleven nieces and nephews, Scott (Rachel), Danika (Alan), Kyle, Brian, Michael (Jessica), Sonia, Anna, Jessica (Caleb), Rachel (Demian), Abby and Ross (Rochelle); Ten great nieces and nephews, Matthew, Logan, Ryan, Maris, Paisley, Sylvia, Sophia, Mila, Grayson and Everett; two dogs, Tommi and Hanni; two grand puppies, Poppy and Kevin; and many wonderful friends.

A very special thanks to Chris Caruso for her unwavering friendship the past ten years. Barb loved her immensely.

There will be a funeral service on Saturday, January 15, 2022 at Mariposa Gardens Memorial Park and Funeral Home in Mesa, AZ at 2:00 pm. Burial and a celebration of life will take place at a later date in Spring 2022 in Moorhead, MN.

Condolences and memories may be shared at www.mariposagardens.com

Memorial contributions can be made in honor of Barb to an organization she loved and supported for many years, Sunshine Acres Children’s Home in Mesa, AZ.