Jean Marie Nelson, 71, of Yakima, WA, died Monday, May 12, 2014, in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico. She was born on April 6, 1943 in Seattle WA, to Kathryn Marie and Robert Donald Nettelblad. She attended Roosevelt High School and Griffin Business College prior to working as a bookkeeper/office administrator at Laurelhurst Interior Design.

In 1968, Jean and Walt Nelson were married at University Presbyterian Church in Seattle. They later moved to Wenatchee, WA then to Yakima, WA.

In 1974 they opened Walt Nelson Insurance Agency in Wapato, WA where Jean and Walt worked until its sale in 2000. She also owned Jean Marie's Sports Bar & Restaurant, Superior Computer Solutions, M & A's Video and several other businesses.

Jean was a beautiful and fun-loving soul. She will be remembered fondly with her perfect hair and nails, petite pastel outfits and unique sense of style. She was very creative and enjoyed drawing (especially horses), sewing and crafts with her grandparents when she was small, and later, helping her children with school projects. Jean loved spending time with her family on outings such as floating the Yakima River or attending the Central Washington State Fair. She was an accomplished dart player and once won her granddaughter a large stuffed animal by hitting two balloons with one dart!

She prided herself on being an incredibly intelligent and successful business woman. She worked very hard to ensure that her businesses were in perfect order. Her customers loved her very much.

She will be missed, loved and always in our hearts. Jean is survived by her brother, Robert Nettelblad, her children, Michael Nelson, Trifaria Verde, Monica Hassett, and Angelique Nelson, all of Washington State, and five grandchildren, Natasha and LaTonya Nelson, Lurian Bristow, and Keegan Hassett and Katelyn Hassett. She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter Nelson, and her parents.

Memorial Service: 2:30 PM Saturday, June 7, 2014, at Bethany Lutheran Church, rural Shelly, MN.

Visitation: One hour before the funeral at the church.

Burial: Bethany Lutheran Cemetery, rural Shelly.