11 Feb 1927 – 12 Mar 2011
2nd Great Granddaughter of Philip Cardon and Martha Marie Tourn
Great Granddaughter of Catherine Cardon and Moses Byrne
Granddaughter of Minnie Catherine Byrne and Frederick William Kendell
Daughter of Etta Kendell and Cleavy Abraham Fernelius
Ettalue Fernelius Nelson, 84, died peacefully at home in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 12, 2011 after a long illness.
Born Feb. 11, 1927, in South Ogden (Burch Creek), Ettalue was the third of four children of Cleavy Abraham and Etta Kendell Fernelius.
She attended Weber County High School and graduated in 1947 from Weber State College where she studied music and was a member of the Mussettes. At WSC she was chosen as Snowball Queen and Sweetheart of Phoenix (Men’s Club) and joined La Dianaeda Sorority, where she developed lifelong friends. She was also queen of the July 24 parade in South Ogden.
In 1946 she met Richard John Nelson at the Clearfield Naval Depot where both had summer jobs. They married on June 10, 1947 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple.
After Ettalue’s graduation and Richard’s graduation from medical school, the couple began married life and their 63-year partnership in Cambridge, Mass., and later New York City. R.J. completed post-graduation studies at Harvard and Columbia universities while Ettalue worked to support them.
Capt. Richard J. Nelson entered the Army Medical Corps and the couple moved to Ft. Sill, OK., where Ettalue gave birth to their first son, Harry Fernelius. Later, a daughter, Suzanne, and two more sons, Eric Byrne and Kendell Eschler, followed.
Returning to Salt Lake, R.J. set up his private practice in internal medicine. Ettalue supported his work and many other endeavors, continually playing dream maker to R.J. the dreamer. They worked hard but traveled the world. A graceful, smiling lady, Ettalue was equally at home entertaining in Salt Lake, enjoying summers with family at their Victor, Idaho, cabin or spending winter weekends at an Alta ski cabin.
Musically talented, Ettalue played the violin, viola and piano and had a beautiful singing voice. Devoted to the arts, she was a member of the Utah Symphony Guild Board and a docent at the Salt Lake Arts Center and University of Utah Museum of Fine Arts. The U. presented her with special medallions for 25 and then 30 years of service, the first docent to receive that honor.
She was a member of a 30-year doubles foursome at the Salt Lake Tennis Club and also a member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers.
Ettalue was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Survivors include husband, sons Harry (Jeanette) Nelson and daughter Suzanne Pisciotta of Salt Lake City; son Eric Nelson, Victor, Idaho; son Kendell Nelson, Salt Lake City; grandchildren Michael John and Sarah Nelson, Salt Lake City; Diego Pisciotta, Salt Lake City; Leanne (Scott) Coleman, Lehi, and Kendra Nelson, Salt Lake City; Elder Skyler Nelson serving in the Santiago Dominican Republic Mission; Elder Scott Nelson serving in the Wellington New Zealand Mission; a great-granddaughter, Addison Coleman; a brother Byrne Cleavy (Jean) Fernelius, Chatsworth, Calif.; a sister, Ansta Joy (Keith) Harris, Logan; a sister-in-law Betty Fernelius, San Carlos, Calif.; and many nieces and nephews.
Ettalue was preceded in death by her parents, brother Keith Cardon Fernelius and son-in-law Donald Pisciotta.
Funeral services will be Wednesday, March 16, at 11 a.m. at the Monument Park Stake Center, 1320 S. Wasatch Drive. Visitation will be Tuesday evening, March 15, at the Holbrook Mortuary, 3251 S. 2300 East, from 6-8 p.m. and at the church Wednesday morning from 9:30-10:30 a.m. prior to the service.
Burial will be in the Nelson family plot in the Millville (Cache County) Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the U. Museum of Fine Arts or the Deseret Foundation. Messages and tributes to Ettalue’s family can be posted at: www.holbrookmortuary.com.
– Published in the Seseret News from Mar. 13 to Mar. 14, 2011
Millville City Cemetery, Millville, Cache, Utah
