Mary Bell Nelson, 88, of Mexico, passed away on Friday, Dec. 25, 2020, at the King’s Daughters Home.
Private family services will be at Arnold Funeral Home with burial to follow in Auxvasse Cemetery.
Mary was born on Mar. 12, 1932 in Bachelor, the daughter of Herbert Hume and Bessie Lee (Todd) Sevall. On Nov. 9, 1951 at the First Christian Church in Mexico, she married Ralph Ray Nelson.
Mrs. Nelson graduated from Chillicothe Business College. She tested and became a certified professional secretary (CPS). Mary worked at A.P. Green for 40 years, mostly as a secretary. When retiring, she was the material safety coordinator and environmental assistant.
Mary was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Mexico, where she helped with the Outreach Committee and Bible School. Additionally, she was the Women of the Church Circles Historian.
Mrs. Nelson loved to paint and taught night classes in painting at the Vo-Tech. She belonged to the Mexico Art Guild, Show-Me China Painters, Creative Porcelain Club of Macon and Missouri World China Painters. Mary also enjoyed dancing and was with the Mexico Hot Steppers, who often entertained at many area nursing homes. She had also been a member of the Red Hat Club.
Survivors include one son, Kenneth (Joanne) Nelson of Mexico; one daughter, Carol (Keith) Mudd of Monroe City; six grandchildren, Whitney (Marcus) Pfaff of Monroe City, Matthew Mudd (Julie Tophinke) of Bowling Green, Tyler (Megan) Mudd of Monroe City, Kent (Christina) Groves of Mexico, Kara (Ryan) Jennings of Springfield, and Jenna (Brandt) Frye of Nashville, Tenn.; six great-grandchildren, Kiersten Pfaff, Amelia Pfaff, Maren Mudd, Aubrey Jennings, Adalyn Jennings, and Nash Frye.
Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph, who died on Aug. 10, 2012.
Memorial donations may be made to the First Presbyterian Church. They may be sent in care of Arnold Funeral Home, 425 S. Jefferson, Mexico, MO 65265.
Online condolences may be left at www.arnoldfh.com.
