Laura Lynn Nelson, 51, died unexpectedly in her home in Austin, Minnesota, on June 7, 2017.

Born Dec. 27, 1965, in Owatonna, Minnesota, Laura moved to Austin with her family as a young girl. She graduated from Austin High School in 1984, and later from nursing school in the Twin Cities area before returning to Austin, where she spent most of the rest of her life caring for others.

Laura married her former husband, William Nelson, on August 26, 2000, gaining a stepdaughter, Andrea Nelson Farr, and step-grandchildren, Riley and Liam, whom she loved very much.

Her greatest passion and her highest priority was always her family. She was happiest when she was visiting her dad in Georgia, riding horses with her mom, or spending time with her beloved daughter Sydney and granddaughter Hailey. She was a compassionate champion for animals, and found solace nurturing the plants in her mom’s yard.

Laura is survived by her parents, Julie Jean and Thomas Bernard Downey; daughter, Sydney Jayne Erickson; brothers, Mark and David Downey, and Todd Matthew Murphy; sisters-in-law, Christine Sanguinet and Susan Meister; son-in-law, Joseph Rae Wigham; granddaughter, Hailey Wigham; nieces, Amelia Martine Downey and Lauren Elizabeth Fischer; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

A memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 20, at Clasen-Jordan Mortuary with the Rev. Jeffrey Forbes officiating. Interment will be at Grandview Cemetery in Austin. Visitation will be one hour before the service on Tuesday. Memorial contributions may be made to the Mower County Humane Society.