LIfe to the Full—Ellen Nelson

LIfe to the Full

Ellen Nelson

llen loves life and it loves her right back! This amazing, energetic woman’s philosophy is to just “go with the flow” and she certainly does! If she isn’t out mowing her lawn or tinkering in her garden, visiting her elderly neighbor across the street, she is driving to one of her chemo treatments at the hospital. She celebrated her 90th birthday in November.

Ellen grew up in Duchess in a home of 7 children in the 1930’s. If she or her siblings got into trouble, there was the strap. As a child, she played “Run sheep, Run!”, basketball and hopscotch. She swam in the canal in the summer, skated in the winter and skipped and rode her bike for entertainment. She attended a 3-room school house until grade 9, when she was transferred to Brooks high school for her schooling. In the fall, Ellen was one of many children who picked potatoes and missed a month of school. The family was also busy with canning and harvesting the large gardens that would sustain them for the winter.

Ellen and her husband had two children – a boy and a girl. She said that “you just know when you are in love.” They had lots of moves in their marriage depending on her husband’s jobs, but she loved meeting new people. She did end up working in a bank and was in charge of the tellers when her kids were older. Her husband and son have since passed on, but she is thankful that they did not have to go through this whole pandemic. Her daughter and son-in-law live in Arkansas but years ago they were able to go to Italy together. It was one of the highlights of Ellen’s life as she was able to see where her dad was raised and enjoy so many aspects of her heritage.

The pandemic didn’t affect Ellen too much. She continued visiting her neighbors and she was used to being alone. She just “went along” with whatever was happening but she still

Ehas some questions about the whole thing. “When you are younger, you don’t really pay attention” but now she is coming to terms with the fact that she may have to give up her driver’s license. Ellen enjoys looking after herself, her home and is aging gracefully with the odd fall. She enjoys socializing and stays in touch with friends she met while working. If there were 3 things that Ellen would wish for, they would be that she lives to be 100. She is certainly on the right path by being so active! Secondly, she wishes that her family lived closer. She still has a 94 year-old sister who lives in Brooks. And lastly, she wishes that this COVID would end. Back in the day, you just “made do” with things. From making mud pies to skipping rope, Ellen now paints her fence and keeps busy with life. She inspires many of us to live life to the fullest.