Margaret Nelson

Margaret was born on April 15, 1921, in Grand Forks, N.D., to Thomas and Mary (Horky) Walshe, and died on May 19, 2012, in Billings.

She was 3 years old when her family moved to Walhalla, N.D., where she went through the third grade. The family moved to Pompeys Pillar, where her father became the postmaster. She graduated from Huntley Project High School in 1938 and from Eastern Montana Normal School (MSUB) in 1940.

Margaret taught school in the Garfield County area for over 25 years. She married Jim Viall on Oct. 19, 1942, in Miles City, and they bought the Garfield Hotel in Jordan in 1946. Jim died on May 9, 1971. She married Art Nelson on Feb. 9, 1979. Art died in January 1994.

In April 2001, she moved to Central Court Village in Billings, where she lived until September 2011, when she moved into Billings Health & Rehab, where she resided until her death.

She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Jerry Walshe and both husbands. Margaret is survived by Jerrlyn (Dick) Keeland, Missoula, Jim (Heather) Viall, Polson, and Tom Viall (Karen Nelson), Billings; four grandchildren, Jimi (Brandon) Parker, Eugene, Ore., Deb Keeland (Jenna), Portland, Ore., Rich (Amy) Keeland, Anaconda, Lindsay (Mike Korsmyer) Viall, Beaverton, Ore.; two step-grandsons, Mike and Steve Fouty, Polson; five great-grandchildren, Peyton Parker, Aday Viall, Ameiah Viall, Soren Keeland and Bodhi Keeland; special cousin Mary Jo Schultz and family; sister-in-law Birdie Walshe, Billings; nephew Charlie (Jennifer) O'Connor, Jordan; and extended family, Zane, Sue, Jamilea and Jacy Kittlemann, Miles City, and Jane Wille, Jordan.

Special thanks to all of the nurses and staff at the Billings Health & Rehab for their outstanding care during the last nine months, and to Sally Hoverson and Dorothy Thompson, Billings, for the care and errands you did for Mom.

A celebration of Margaret's life will be at 11 a.m. Friday, June 1, at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary, 1001 Alderson Ave.

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