Joanne C. Nilson, 68, Sartell

December 14, 1946 - June 26, 2015

Funeral services will be 11:00AM Thursday, July 2, 2015 at Living Waters Lutheran Church in Sauk Rapids for Joanne Nilson who died Friday at the St. Cloud Hospital. Pastor Todd Mattson will officiate and entombment will be at Assumption Cemetery in St. Cloud. Visitation will be from 4-8PM Wednesday at the Williams Dingmann Funeral Home in St. Cloud and 1 hour prior to services Thursday at the church in Sauk Rapids. Living Waters Church prayers will be at 7:30 Wednesday evening at the funeral home in St. Cloud.

Joanne was born in St. Cloud to Wilbur & Eleanor (Brown) Coombs. She married Marvin Hennen in 1967 and they were later divorced. She married Harold Nilson in December of 1986 and they were later divorced. She worked as a cook at Talahi Care Center in St. Cloud until her retirement in 2009. She is a member of Living Waters Lutheran Church in Sauk Rapids were she was active in the MOPS program. Joanne was a very kind, helpful, selfless and loving person. She loved her family unconditionally. She was always happy, full of life and had a huge spirit. She enjoyed watching mystery shows; her favorites were “Matlock” and “Murder She Wrote”. She was a wonderful cook; her best dish was goulash. She liked doing arts and crafts, cards and spending time volunteering at the church daycare. Joanne was a huge Elvis fan. She loved listening to his music and collecting Elvis things. Family was her biggest joy. She loved spending time with her family.

Survivors include her children, Rebecca (Allen) Vanderweyst of Waite Park; Anthony (Christine Gerjets) Nilson of St. Cloud; grandchildren, Jackie (Kurt) Knack of St. Cloud; Dante & Kaylee Nilson of St. Cloud. She is also survived by her brother, Wayne Charles (Diana) Coombs of Kauai, HI and nephews, Phillip, Jake, and Nick and great nephew, Tucker.

She was preceded in death by her parents and husband Harold Nilson.