ViAnne K. Nelson

ViAnne Karen (Howell) Nelson, age 79, passed away on the evening of December 4, 2023, surrounded by her loving family. ViAnne was born on January 3, 1944, to Harry Howell and Lova (Vespermen) Hanson. She was the sixth of seven children and grew up in the Madison area. She married her husband, Frank Nelson, on January 21, 1962. They lived and started their family in McFarland, where they had their first two children, Teah and Wendy. It wasn’t long after that they moved to Black River Falls and had their youngest, Frankie. During their time there, they welcomed many foster children into their home and into their hearts, caring for them as if they were their own, including two foster daughters Theresa and Vicki. After many happy years, they then moved their family to Fond du Lac, which is where they resided for the rest of their lives. Years after her first love Frank passed away, Vianne reconnected with an old childhood friend, Carl. Though the time was far too short, the two spent many years together traveling the country, snow-birding in Mesa, Arizona, and doing what they loved most, spending time with each other's families. In her younger years, Vianne worked at Associated Physicians, and later as a Human Resources Secretary for the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, where she spent 15 years loving her work and making many lifelong friends at the Taycheedah Correctional Institution. In her lifetime, ViAnne was many things to so many people. She was a daughter, sister, mother, wife, friend, girlfriend, grandmother, great grandmother, dog mom, neighbor, and professional ball-buster. ViAnne’s spunky confidence and great sense of humor always meant that she easily made friends everywhere she went. She loved her family almost as much as she loved her sweets. She could often be found showing family photos and telling beloved stories that she gained throughout her life. It didn’t matter if someone was blood related or welcomed to the family through love, she always treated everyone equally and as one of her own. ViAnne is survived by her brother Dick, brother-in-law Ed (Nancy) Nelson, her three children, Teah (Ted) Kitzman, Wendy/Boone (Russ) Ryan, Frankie Nelson. She was blessed with nine grandchildren, Jennifer, Josh (Audrey), Jamie (Alex), Katie, Jeremy, Emily (Mike), Hannah (Andy), Thane, and Taylor, along with six great-grandchildren, Gabriella, Lincoln, Eleanor, Hudsyn, Elise, and Maliah. She is preceded in death by her mother, father, brothers Jack, Jerry, Eddie, and Royce Howell, her sister Sharon Johnson, an infant son who passed away in 1964, son-in-law Terry Preston, husband Frank, and second love Carl. ViAnne’s family would like to thank her kind and compassionate health care team at SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital, 6 South. ViAnne was in their comfort and care for 34 days. Every day she felt that the nurses, CNAs, doctors, and extended workers treated her like a loved one of their own and for that, her family will be forever grateful. The family will be holding a Celebration of Life from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 6, 2024, at the Eagle’s Club 515 N. Park Ave., Fond du Lac.

ViAnne K. Nelson

January 3, 1944 - December 4, 2023