Evelyn Ann Johnston Nelson was born in Springfield, Missouri, to Thomas Wesley and Mary Lou (Bowman) Johnston on July 8, 1937, and passed from this life on March 10, 2024. Evelyn attended Doling, Reed, and Central High School where she graduated in 1955. 

She became a member of Northwest Baptist Church at an early age and was pianist and organist there as a teenager. Evelyn married Kirby Nelson on December 28, 1957, and they moved to Dallas, Texas, where Kirby attended SMU engineering school and Evelyn worked as a secretary. During their 30 years in Texas, Evelyn worked as an office manager and real estate agent. She also completed a beauty school program and was Kirby’s private barber for 50 years. 

Their first child, Douglas Paul, was born in 1959, and passed away within two months of his birth. The third child, Maria Dawn, was still born in 1961. Both infants were returned to Springfield and buried at Eastlawn Cemetery. Jeffrey Paul was born in 1960, in Dallas and joined the United States Army in 1981, spending two years in Germany before his honorable discharge. Jeff and his wife Pam brought Mike, age 1, to Houston in 1985, and the word quickly spread through the neighborhood that the Nelson’s had a baby. 

All returned to Springfield in 1986, and Evelyn again served Northwest Baptist Church as musician and secretary. She also became secretary at Robberson Elementary School, where children having a bad day would often come to the office and sit on Evelyn’s lap. These hours of caring for the needs of “her kids” required her to work after hours to complete her office work, a task she willingly accepted. 

Kirby and Evelyn adopted their grandsons, Mike and Sam in 1996. Mike and his wife, Tonya, further added to the joy and purpose for Evelyn when Kaitlyn arrived in 2006, and Elizabeth arrived in 2015. Evelyn’s greatest passion for her great granddaughter Kaitlyn was encouraging her love for music. She took great pride and pleasure in driving Kaitlyn to any and all practices for dancing, singing, and piano. 

Evelyn was preceded in death by her infants and Jeffrey Paul (1960-2000). Evelyn is survived by her sisters, Carolyn Stone and Marilyn Johnston, their children plus many dear cousins, friends and family. She is also survived by Kirby, her husband of 67 years, and grandson Mike and his family and grandson Samuel. For the past several years Evelyn’s every need has been met by Kirby, Mike, Kaitlyn, Liz, Tonya, and Sam. Sam has been Evelyn’s 24-hour caregiver for the past seven years and saw to her every need to the end. Sam’s commitment and love for his grandmother Evelyn was without limits. 

A Celebration of Life for Evelyn will be held on Saturday, March 23, 11:00 am, at Northwest Baptist Church located at 3075 W. Norton Rd, Springfield Missouri, telephone 417-833-1175. 

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be given in Evelyn’s memory to Northwest Baptist Church.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Greenlawn Funeral Home North in Springfield, Missouri.