Marian Nelson (Schafter) passed away on September 4, 2009 at age 86 at Odd Fellows Nursing Home in Green Bay. A visitation for friends and family will be held from 11 to 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 12 at Ryan Funeral Home in De Pere. A memorial service presided over by Father Gary Meehan O.Praem will begin at 12:45 p.m. to honor and celebrate Marian's life. A private funeral and burial service will be held in Milwaukee on Monday, September 14. Marian will be laid to rest next to her late husband Arthur ("Big Art") at Wood National Cemetery, Wood, Wisconsin. Marian was born in Superior, Wisconsin on February 24, 1923 to Frank and Leona Schafter. She married Arthur Nelson on January 29, 1943. Marian is survived by her children Jack Nelson (Ellie Birmingham) and Kathy (Bruce) Muszynski. She is further survived by three siblings: Rilla Quinlan, Albert Schafter and James Schafter and grandchildren Kari (John) Niedfeldt-Thomas and great grandchildren Daniel and Evan; Jake (Dr. Jennifer) Muszynski and Luke (Emily) Muszynski and their baby-to-be, along with many other nephews, nieces and friends. In addition to her late husband who died in 1983, Marian was preceded in death by her brother Larry Schafter. Marian was a wonderful wife, mother and homemaker living most of her adult life in Milwaukee. She also worked as an office clerk and a cleaning lady at Mercy Apartments in Milwaukee where she lived for 24 years. In 2002 she relocated to De Pere, Wisconsin to be near family. There she enjoyed the warm of friendship from special people, especially Florence Hoes, who quickly became her newly adopted "sister." In lieu of flowers or other expressions of sympathy, memorials to support the Aurora Visiting Nurse Association Hospice Program, P.O. Box 370196 Milwaukee, WI 53237-1296 are welcome. The family would like to thank her primary care physician Jesusa Andres-Palines, M.D. (Dr. Suzie), the entire staff of the Vince Lombardi Cancer Clinic, Odd Fellows Nursing Home and the Aurora Visiting Nurse Association Hospice Program for their kind care and concern during Marian's extended illness. Ryan Funeral Home 305 N. 10th Street DePere, Wisconsin 54115 www.ryanfh.com