Martha Jane Nelson, age 90, passed away Sunday, Aug. 14, 2016 at Maplewood Nursing Home, Sauk City. She was born at home Jan. 13, 1926 on Big Island, Lake Minnetonka, MN. to the late Hjalmar and Gertrude (Malmberg) Nelson. Martha had little formal schooling, but taught herself to read, and never ceased self-educating. Word games were always near. She married Clarion (C.J./Ole) Nelson Dec. 7, 1945. He died in 2011, still her best friend.

Martha was drummer and lead vocalist for all-girl bands in the 1930's, 40's and 50's, also composing and playing piano, accordion and guitar. She sang on the Jerry Blake Show every Friday night for Channel 27 (WKOW Madison) TV's first year on the air. She ran an office for years in Minneapolis. She taught her daughters to sing and perform, and accompanied them and others. In the late 1970s and 80s she returned to her music career, performing in a duo at the Dorf Haus Restaurant and with Robin, Tom and C.J. in their family band, Travelin'. Martha was a published writer of stories and poems. Her most recent is found in Heaven Touching Earth (James Stuart Bell, Bethany House Publishers, 2014).

Martha's sewing included costumes, show choir and bridesmaid dresses, and her girls' clothes. She enjoyed leading Girl Scouts and teaching Sunday School and VBS at St. John's Lutheran Church, where she and Ole sang in the choir for over 30 years. Martha was a Bible study leader and sang with the Messengers choir. She wrote countless programs and services for all ages in the church, never putting her name to them. She and C.J. volunteered at the Good Neighbor Clinic in Prairie du Sac. Martha served as chairman of the Columbia County Homemakers. She wrote and performed radio spots (God commercials) with Sauk-Prairie's Ecumenical Council. She taught others to read while part of Sauk-Prairie's literacy council, and volunteered with Sauk County's Mental Health board. She and Ole owned and operated an air filtration business, Marnell Enterprises.

Martha battled breast cancer (2010) and beat colon cancer in 2014. She would love to have beaten macular degeneration. Martha loved her family and relatives. She always said a person's capacity to love grows as more people are added. She welcomed her sons-in-law as her own, and opened her arms and heart to her daughters' friends, naming them all in her prayers. How she loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren!

Where Martha was, there was fun. Humor, lemons into lemonade, treasure hunts, elaborate (non-hurtful) pranks, and altered lyrics to songs.

She is survived by 2 daughters, Vicky (Bob) Dresser of Wisconsin Rapids and their 4 children, Erin Flater, Michael Dresser, Chelsea (Ben) Clark, and Matt (Allie Swatek) Dresser; Robin (Tom) Steinweg of Prairie du Sac, and their 2 sons, David and Brian (Veronica) Steinweg; 2 great-grandchildren, Lyla Steinweg and Madison Roland; a sister, Louise Wright and sister in-law, Vivian Nelson. She is further survived by numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by eight siblings and a great-granddaughter, Aurora Steinweg.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, Aug.27, 2016 at St. John's Lutheran Church, 100 Oak St. Prairie du Sac with Pastor Fred Rilling officiating. A visitation will be held from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm at St. John's Lutheran Church on Friday, Aug. 26, 2016 and from 10:00 am until time of service. Interment will be at the Prairie du Sac Cemetery.