Dona Martha Jones Nelson, age 76, a resident of Fairhope and a homemaker, died on Friday, Jan. 11, 2013 at a local health care facility.
Mrs. Nelson was born in Covington, Ky., and was raised in Washington, D.C. She graduated from Anacostia High School and was employed by the Navy Department until her marriage to George G. Nelson Jr., of Benton, La. Later, after her daughters were grown, she worked as executive secretary of the Natchez Garden Club, Natchez, Miss. She was active in the Natchez Little Theatre, including the Mississippi Medicine Show that entertained throughout the area, and she was a docent at several antebellum mansions during the spring and fall Pilgrimages to Natchez. She especially enjoyed singing, beginning with regular performances on a children’s radio program in D.C. She was a member and soloist in church choirs for at least 50 years and was a member of the Eastern Shore Choral Society for several years. A member of Daphne United Methodist Church, she served on various church committees including worship, altar guild and trustees. She was an excellent self-taught cook and especially enjoyed cooking “different” dishes, including a lot of American Indian dishes. She and her cooking were featured in at least one article in the local Natchez newspaper. She was an accomplished seamstress, making many of the clothes worn by her two daughters and most of the ballet costumes they wore. She enjoyed genealogical research and was a member of the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia (her mother emigrated from Russia in 1905). She also enjoyed travel, especially to the Southwest and the Caribbean, and visiting family. With her husband, she enjoyed volunteering at the Gulf Coast Exploreum Museum of Science where she served as a greeter and helped young people enjoy the various hands-on exhibits. Survivors include her husband of 56 years, George G. Nelson Jr., of Fairhope, AL; two daughters, Dana Nelson Chamberlain (Alex Chamberlain) of Eagle, Idaho and Jo Nelson (Rob Sowder) of Lynchburg, Va; three grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013 at Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Home, Fairhope from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Graveside services and interment will be held at Barrancas National Cemetery on Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013 at 11:45 a.m. Her family gives special thanks to friends who helped in so many ways, and to her doctors and to the staff of Robertsdale Health Care Center and Covenant Hospice who cared for her in her declining years. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Running Strong for American Indian Youth (P.O. Box 670, Raton, NM 87740-9970), Covenant Hospice (1040 Stanton Road, Ste. D, Daphne, AL. 36526) or one’s charity of choice. Arrangements by Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Homes & Crematory Inc.
