Barbara Burgess Nelson

Barbara Burgess Nelson (96), North Oaks, beloved mother, grandma, and aunt, passed away on April 14, 2024, following a recent episode of COVID-19. She was born and raised in St. Paul, graduated from Murray High School, attended the University of Minnesota, and completed a fashion degree from the Tobe' Coburn School of Fashion Careers in New York City in 1948. Barb was a buyer for Lord & Taylor and Dayton's Oval Room for several years before and after marrying Raleigh Nelson in 1953. Following Raleigh's early career in agricultural product sales, Raleigh and Barb became Burger King franchisees in 1964. In the early years, Barb was instrumental in the planning, decorating, and staffing the Burger Kings. For decades, Barb and Raleigh enjoyed many international travel adventures, broadening their world view. Barb was an avid amateur genealogist and a lifelong learner taking adult classes at the University of Minnesota and participating in elder hostels. She had an inquiring and compassionate mind, and was forever organized, calm, kind, diplomatic, and generous. Barb had a lifelong love of classical and opera music, had a lovely soprano voice, and was a proud and diligent member of various church choirs, including Gethsemane Lutheran Church and St. Andrew's Lutheran Church. Among other volunteer activities, Barb was a board member of the Twin Cities Opera Guild for more than 30 years. Barb was a loving wife, mother and grandmother, personifying I Corinthians' "love is patient, love is kind." She is survived by and will be dearly missed by her son, Gregg, his wife of 40 years, Colleen, their daughters, Lauren Nelson (husband, Micah Patchin), and Emily Nelson; and by her son, Timm Nelson and his children, Valerie and Oliver Nelson. Barb was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Raleigh; parents, Ernest and Theresa (Gutzke) Burgess; sister, Alyce (Burgess) Williams and her husband Stanley Williams; and many valued and dear relatives and friends. A memorial service will be held on April 26, 2024, in the Waverly Gardens chapel at 5919 Centerville Road, North Oaks, MN; visitation at 10:00 a.m. and memorial service at 11:00 a.m. Private inurnment at Lakewood Cemetery will occur at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Twin Cities Opera Guild, Minnesota Historical Society, or the Presbyterian Homes Foundation.

Tributes

Barbara Burgess Nelson

December 24, 1927 - April 14, 2024

Tributes

Barbara Burgess Nelson

December 24, 1927 - April 14, 2024

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