Obituary of Kathleen Jane Nelson
Kathleen Jane Nelson
September 21, 1931 – February 5, 2021
It is with tremendous sadness that the family of Kathleen Jane Nelson announces her passing.
Kathleen (affectionately known as Kay) passed away peacefully in her sleep at Albright Manor in Beamsville on February 5th, 2021 at the age of 89.
Kay was predeceased by her parents Albert Konkle (1977) and Violet Konkle (nee Sherwood) (2001), and her only sibling, younger brother Gary Konkle (1976).
Kay leaves behind her devoted daughter Kelly and beloved son in-law Randy Friesen, grandson Tim Friesen, granddaughter Kathleen (Katie) and grandson (in-law) Joe Gottli. Her very precious great-grandson Micheal Gottli is also left behind with many special memories of his Nana. Kay will also be sadly missed by her cousins Barbara and Gloria, Janice and Kenny, and Dianne, and her sister-in-law Carolynne Nelson.
Kay was born on September 21, 1931 at home on the Konkle family farm located on Greenlane Rd. in Beamsville. Weighing in around the 3 lb mark, she spent the first few months of life wrapped in a bunting and laying in a basket that was placed in front of the family’s stove, as it was the only heat source for the home at that time. Occasionally she even made it onto the open oven door if it was especially cold.
During her childhood years Kay attended the Lower Thirty School in Beamsville and worked at developing her music and dance talents. She trained very hard and succeeded at being an exceptional toe dancer. She also excelled at tap dancing, guitar and piano and was asked to perform at the homes of Beamsville’s wealthier residents whenever they hosted teas, receptions and parties. As a teen, Kay continued her recitals and performances and attended Beamsville District Secondary School.
After high school she worked at Stedman’s, the basket factory and Dave Wright’s in Beamsville.
She married Don Nelson in early 1950, and tragically later that year, gave birth to their stillborn son David William. It was 9 years before they had another child, this time a daughter who she named Kelly.
Kay faced many hardships during her life including the breakdown of her marriage. In the early 60’s, she chose to end her relationship with Don.
Kay Nelson may have been born tiny and but she grew to be an incredibly strong, determined and independent woman.
Kay experienced all the worries and faced all the challenges that a single mom would face. She wasn’t one to be easily intimidated, and through her life showed courage, no matter what life threw at her.
Kay’s first full-time work after becoming a single parent was at Westinghouse in Grimsby. She liked the job of welding filaments and would come home with teensy little specks all over her face. Her daughter Kelly still has the pair of the glasses that she wore while working at Westinghouse and the lenses are covered with those same tiny specks. With technology improving, the company laid off a group of employees including Kay and eventually then closed down the Grimsby location altogether.
Kay then took different part-time jobs as a house cleaner, baby sitter and even as a driving instructor. With perseverance, her next part-time work at the winery in Jordan turned into permanent work at the Jordan Wines plant on Louth St. in St. Catharines, where she worked until retirement.
Mom lost her brother Gary in 1976 to an at-home accident and less than a year later her beloved Father passed away after a battle with throat cancer. She and her mother (Gran) stayed strong through it all, although I’m not sure how. Kelly married 3 months after Gramp’s passing, leaving Kay alone for the first time in her life.
One afternoon in late 1980, she got a call at work that her apartment was on fire. She rushed home to find all of her belongings either burned or smoke and water damaged by a fire that was caused by creosote build up in her landlord’s chimney.
Mom moved in with Randy and Kelly and our newborn son Timothy. She was a great help to these 2 new parents and she stayed with them until she could find another apartment. As a child, Kay and Kelly would spend almost every weekend window-shopping together and now had the opportunity to shop for real for all her new replacement clothing and furnishings. Far too soon she found a new apartment and moved on to the next phase of her life.
Kay retired early to help out with her grandchildren after school and over the summers. By the time the kids were old enough to be left to their own devises, her Mother began to require help keeping up her apartment. Gran was lucky enough to be able to move into the same building as Mom and they spent hours together most days, visiting at either other’s place. Eventually Kay moved Gran in with her.
Gran lived with Kay in two more locations at which point she became too much for Kay to handle so Gran was moved to Albright Manor.
Don passed away in early 2000 and Gran followed in 2001.
Without the responsibility of her having to care and provide for her child, or be a caregiver to her grandchildren and Mother, Kay was finally free to add her name to the waiting list for an Edelheim senior’s apartment. In 2002 Kay moved in and she spent the next 18 years there.
Needing something to keep her busy, besides her much loved crosswords and word finds, but never being much of a social butterfly in her later years, it was a big undertaking for Kay to assume the responsibility of getting the birthday cards signed and delivered to the Edelheim seniors. She took on the task and did a wonderful job for many years.
As Kay’s health started to decline and dementia began to creep into her life, she gave up her drivers license and the freedom it had given her. For awhile she made use of the bus service for her grocery shopping and banking but even that small independence eventually came to an end when she was no longer able to make the weekly bus trips.
Kelly retired in 2014 to help Kay out with with the things she could no longer do herself. After experiencing a series of falls in late 2019 and early 2020, it became apparent that she needed more help than Randy or Kelly could provide.
Unfortunately due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kay’s admission to Albright Manor was delayed until mid-May. She voluntarily walked through Albright’s front doors and into a strange and isolated existence. Her phone was her link to outside until the lockdown was lifted and Kelly was allowed to visit again.
Kay’s health declined very quickly with the the restrictions the coronavirus brought and her final months were spent in isolation under another lockdown’s orders.
Kay passed away without the presence of her loving family by her side but it is her family’s hope that Kay could feel Kelly’s hand holding hers and that she received all the love and comforting thoughts that her family was sending her way.
Kelly would like to thank the staff of Albright’s 4th floor who have risen to the challenge of maintaining excellent care during this extremely difficult time. A very special thank you is being sent to Taylor. During Kay’s residence at Albright and especially at the end of Kay’s time on this earth, Taylor spent the quality time with Kay that Kelly couldn’t. For that, she will be forever grateful.
Following Mom’s wishes, a cremation will take place and also as requested, her small loving family will gather with her to say their final goodbyes.
Kay donated annually to the Arthritis Society as arthritis was a disease that afflicted all 3 generations of our family. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in her name or to a charity of your choice.
And finally Kelly would like to pass on these thoughts. Due to this pandemic Mom’s final days and months were spent not as she or I had hoped. So many others families have gone through the same heartbreaking experience that our family just went through and unfortunately other families will continue to experience the unbearable feeling of being separated from their loved ones at such and important time.
Please help these families by adhering to the lockdown rules.
‘Stay home, stay safe and save lives’.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Kathleen
Jane
Nelson 1931 2021..
Death notice for the town of: Beamsville, Province: Ontario