Ethel Catherine Nelson

Ethel C. Nelson, 97, passed away on September 11, 2008, at the Christian Care Center surrounded by her family. She was born October 17, 1910 in Durham, NC to the late Parham 'Penn'? and Susan (Whitfield) OBriant. She was a member of South Roanoke United Methodist Church in Roanoke, VA. Ethel felt it was her calling to be a registered nurse and did so proudly for over fifty years. She was a 1935 graduate of Sibley Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in Washington DC. She had a great passion for gardening and used those skills to beautify the grounds of Chesterbrook Methodist Church and Franklin Park Womens Association in McLean, VA where she had made her home for over fifty years. Ethel had moved to Johnson City in 2007 to be near her son Tom and his family. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her loving husband of thirty-nine years, Carl Edward Nelson in 1978. A son, Bruce Barton Nelson and nine siblings also preceded her in death. Ethel is survived by her son Thomas Nelson and his wife Doris of Johnson City; eight grandchildren, Mariann, Susan, Michael, Sarah, Brad, Jason, Justin, and Joshua; six great grandchildren; and a brother, Lee OBriant, Durham, NC. Numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins also survive. The family will receive friends on Saturday from 4 till 5 PM at Morris-Baker Funeral Home with a 5:00 Celebration of Life service. For those who would like to make a memorial donation in lieu of flowers, the family encourages those be made to one of Ethels great passions, the Nursing Scholarship Fund of Sibley Memorial Hospital Foundation, 5255 Loughboro Road, NW, Washington, DC 20016.