Myrtle A. Starry Nelson, 96, Long Prairie

July 29, 1925 - October 1, 2021

A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 AM, Saturday, October 9, 2021 at St. Mary of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Long Prairie for Myrtle Starry Nelson, age 96 who passed away Friday, October 1, 2021 in Little Falls. The Rev. Omar Guanchez will officiate. The family will receive visitors 6:30 - 8:30 PM on Friday October 8, 2021 at the Williams Dingmann Stein Chapel in Long Prairie. A rosary will be prayed at 6:30 PM. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the funeral at the church on Saturday. Burial will be at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Long Prairie. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home, Stein Chapel, in Long Prairie.

Myrtle was born July 29, 1925, to George and Marjorie (Lind) Peterson in Reynolds Township. She graduated from Long Prairie High School. She married Roland M. Starry “Whistle” on December 18, 1941. She assisted her husband in the operations of the Roland M. Starry Road Construction Co. while raising their three children. Myrtle and Roland also owned the Knotty Pine Coliseum in Browerville. Although this required them to work as others danced, Whistle was known to pay a band to stay late so he could dance with Myrtle after closing. Roland passed away October 9, 1974. She continued to work for Starry Construction until the family sold the business in 1982. Myrtle married Forrest Nelson on November 17, 1988. Together they enjoyed wintering in Mesa but always looked forward to returning where they enjoyed fishing and all that Minnesota has to offer. Forrest passed away on July 6, 1998.

Myrtle always had a wonderful garden. She enjoyed Whist in a card club. She rarely missed an opportunity to watch a Twin’s game. Many of her family and friends will cherish the afghans and other items she crocheted as well as her embroidery. They will also remember all of the ways she kept her beloved miniature dachshund, Nicki, close to her heart by all of the trinkets she collected. Time with family was always important. Each year on her birthday she insisted on taking the entire family to the Hub Supper Club or Captain Tony’s. She was adventurous and loved to travel, both in the US and overseas. She was active in her church and was a lifetime member of the Christian Mothers. More than anything though, her faith was evident in ways she shared her love with her children, grandchildren, greatgrandchildren.

Survived by her children, Madeline “ Fritz” Lenarz of Little Falls and Barbara (Vern) Graves of Long Prairie; brothers Gerald (Pat) Peterson of Chuckey, TN and Marvin (Marge) Peterson of St. Cloud; grandchildren, Greg (Dawn) Graves of Long Prairie, Corinne (Rob) Mettenburg of Sauk Center, Connie (Glenn) Pesta of Rice, Jean Lenarz of Minneapolis, Margaret Lenarz of Cold Spring and David (Fran) Lenarz of Little Falls; eleven great grandchildren and six great great grandchildren.

Myrtle is preceded in death by her parents; husbands Roland Starry and Forrest Nelson; son Larry Starry; grandson Curt Graves; sisters Shirley Karsten, Betty (Henry) Hegemuhle, Hazel (Eugene) Scheve; brother Elwin Peterson and son-in-law Art J. Lenarz

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials to St. Mary of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church.