Alma Elaine Wallin Nelson, 91, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, died April 3, 2017, at Davis Hospice Center in Cheyenne.

Elaine was born December 7, 1925, in Des Moines, Iowa, to Albert E. and Edna S. G. (Anderson) Wallin. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert A. Nelson M.D., her brother Rev. Dr. Ralph Wallin, and her parents.

Elaine attended public school in Des Moines, was graduated from East High School, Des Moines, in 1943, and received her A.B. degree with honors from Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois, in 1948. She earned certification as a Registered Medical Technologist in 1950.

On September 1, 1950, she married her husband, Robert, and they lived in the Chicago area until he finished his medical training in 1956. The family lived in Kearney, NE, Watertown, SD and Iowa City, IA before moving to Cheyenne, WY, in 1969. She was a dedicated wife and mother with wide-ranging interests. She was a devout, active church member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Cheyenne. Study of the Bible, theology and church history supported and matured her faith. Music was important from an early age as was genealogical research. Her knowledge of family roots was strengthened by several trips to Sweden as well as by learning and teaching Swedish language and culture.

She is survived by daughters, Linnea Nelson (Gerald McEwen), Lisbeth Nelson Butler (Charles), and Lorene K. Nelson (Darryle Laping); her son, Robert A. Nelson II; and three grandchildren, Kerstin A. McEwen, Anders I. McEwen and William N. Butler.

A memorial service will be conducted on Saturday, April 8, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church with a luncheon to follow downstairs in the church fellowship hall. Cremation is under the care of Schrader, Aragon and Jacoby Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to: St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (capital improvements campaign fund), Cheyenne, Wyoming http://www.stpaulscheyenne.org/; Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation http://www.inhf.org/; or Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center https://augustana.net/general-information/swenson-center.

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