Wallace Nelson

Wallace Orval Nelson

Age 97 of south Minneapolis. Passed away September 27, 2020.

Wallace Orval Nelson was born April 22, 1923, at City Hospital (later General Hospital) in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was the youngest of eight children born to William Nelson (born Vilhelm Nielsen Bjorklund in Denmark) and Hannah Nelson (born Johanne Kristine Pedersen in Denmark). Wally passed away at age 97 on September 27, 2020, after suffering a stroke six days earlier. He was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Edna Mae; his parents; brothers Leonhard and Clarence; sisters Viola, Rose, Ella, Virginia, and Helen; many relatives; and countless friends.

Wallace is survived by his children Deanna, Beth (Michael) Otterness, Gaius (Merri Fromm), Matthew, Renee (Bradley Johnson); grandchildren Andrea Kanten, Adrian (Patricia) Kanten, Benjamin (Rose) Kanten, Laura Otterness, Tamara Nelson-Fromm; four great-grandchildren; close nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

A graveside funeral service will be held at Sunset Cemetery in Minneapolis on Tuesday, October 6, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. All are welcome to attend. Please meet at the main gate of the cemetery by 12:45 p.m. for a procession to the grave site. Face masks are requested. Memorials are preferred to the Hiawatha Y Service Club or to the charity of your choice. A gathering to honor Wally and celebrate his life will be held at a future date.

Wally grew up in south Minneapolis near Minnehaha Park and the Mississippi River. He attended Howe Elementary, Sanford Junior High, and graduated from Roosevelt High School in the January class of 1941. He was active in school activities and clubs, was a member of the A Capella Choir, and president of the Glee Club. He performed in four school plays and musicals, often in a lead role. Wally regularly attended various churches, and was part of several choirs and quartets that sang at missions and community events.

He was the only member of his family to graduate from high school. He attended Dunwoody Institute, received several printing certificates, and began working as a printer at Buzza Greeting Cards on Lake Street. Due to perforated eardrums caused by chronic untreated ear infections, Wally was unable to serve in World War II. He traveled extensively in 1943, living in New York City, Philadelphia, and Miami, his Printer’s Union card securing him a job everywhere he went.

In 1944, Wally began taking classes at the University of Minnesota. In 1945 he spent several months living and working in Los Angeles and recalled being there when the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan to end World War II. In 1946, he drove with friends Roger and Vernon Axmark from Minneapolis, through Mexico to Acapulco, to Los Angeles, and back to Minneapolis. They had a memorable adventure at the Grand Canyon indicative of Wally’s adventurous spirit: With no plan, no understanding of the difficulty, and no supplies, they walked to the bottom and back up to the top, only to find that everything had closed. Having had nothing to eat or drink the entire day, they convinced a restaurant owner to give them sandwiches and beverages.

Wally continued taking classes at the University of Minnesota, and earned his Liberal Arts degree in 1947 and Bachelor of Science degree in 1948. During his college years he worked at Printing, Inc. His schedule was nonstop: He worked from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., then attended classes until noon, slept from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and was back at work at 7:00 p.m.

Wally and Edna Mae Fisher met at Minnehaha Baptist Church while they were in junior high school. They married on October 1, 1949, at Bethlehem Covenant Church in south Minneapolis. For their honeymoon they drove to Yellowstone National Park and to Oregon.

The couple bought a home in Richfield near the site of the future Southdale Shopping Center. All five of Wally and Edna Mae’s children were born in the 1950s: Deanna, Beth, Gaius, Matthew, and Renee. Edna Mae’s father died in 1954, and in 1955 they purchased the Fisher family home, which was built by her father in 1915. After a year of repairs and renovations, they moved in and lived there the rest of their lives. Wally continued to work in various positions as printer, pressman, or foreman. In 1953 he became a printing instructor at Minneapolis Vocational High School, beginning a long career as an educator.

In 1955 Wally became a member of the newly formed Roosevelt Y’s Men’s Club. This service club supported the YMCA and it became a big part of Wally’s life. He held many officer positions in the club and was a very active and involved member, including participation in the annual Christmas tree sales. Through the years, he attended 20 International Y’s Men conventions all over the world, often combining them with a family vacation. From 1963–1973 he was the editor of the Y’s Men’s World, the international magazine for the Y’s Men’s organization. Wally also served as the International Historian for Y’s Men’s Clubs from 1976–1981, researching and archiving information.

In June 1960, Wally received his Master of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota. He began teaching English, Journalism, and Literature at Northwestern College, Bethel College, and Willmar State Junior College. In addition to his teaching positions, he was self-employed for many years in commercial printing sales, production graphic arts, and advertising. In 1968, Wally returned to the University of Minnesota to pursue a PhD and was awarded a Candidate in Philosophy certificate in April 1970. Wally was employed from 1969–1972 as Assistant to the Dean of the College of Education at the University of Minnesota. In later years, he was a substitute teacher for Hennepin County Technical Colleges and Minneapolis Public Schools.

Wally and Edna Mae were enthusiastic travelers. Family trips often included International Y’s Men’s convention locations, as well as other destinations. In 1969, Wally drove the family, pulling their Shasta trailer, as far north as you can drive to Circle, Alaska, and as far south as you can drive in the continental United States, to Key West, Florida. In the summer of 1970, with a Y convention to attend in Copenhagen, Wally flew the entire family to England, bought a Volkswagen bus in Amsterdam, and spent 90 days driving throughout Europe camping almost every night. He then shipped the Volkswagen home. When traveling, he had no formal plan; just a road map and an idea of the direction he wanted to go and
the places he wanted to see. Somehow, things always worked out.

After their children were grown, Wally and Edna Mae continued to travel throughout the United States and abroad, and enjoyed several ocean cruises. Wally visited all 50 states (most several times), all Canadian provinces, and at least 38 foreign countries.

Wally was outgoing and social, well liked, much respected, and a natural leader. He was always actively involved in schools, serving as president of the Hiawatha and Roosevelt Parent Teacher Associations, and being part of church and community activities. Wally identified himself as Protestant, was a founding member of the Richfield Evangelical Free Church, and attended a variety of churches over the years.

In November 2014, his wife of 65 years, Edna Mae Fisher Nelson, passed away. Wally continued to live in his home, but required assistance due to progressing blindness. Even with loss of vision and hearing, Wally remained engaged and curious about the world. It’s who he was as a person: always interested in others and always asking questions, wanting to know the details, and seeking further knowledge during conversations. He truly listened to others and was able to remember details because he cared and was blessed with a remarkable memory. Through the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library in Faribault, Wally was able to continue enjoying stories, listening to more than 1,400 books and news magazines over seven years.

Wally was respected by friends and relatives for his guidance and advice. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him for his cheerful, kind, easygoing personality and grateful heart.

A graveside funeral service will be held at Sunset Cemetery in Minneapolis on Tuesday, October 6, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. All are welcome to attend. Please meet at the main gate of the cemetery by 12:45 p.m. for a procession to the grave site. Face masks are requested. Memorials are preferred to the Hiawatha Y Service Club or to the charity of your choice. A gathering to honor Wally and celebrate his life will be held at a future date.