Gloria Jean Nelson, 84, of Rapid City, died Tuesday, February 25, 2020, with her family by her side.

Gloria was born July 17, 1935, in Lead S.D., to Omer and Florence Moorhead.  The family later moved to Spearfish where Gloria graduated from Spearfish High School in 1953 and then attended Black Hills State College.  Gloria then taught third grade for one year while living in Riverton, WY before marrying James S. Nelson III in Rapid City on June 17, 1956.

After her marriage to James Nelson, Gloria taught 4th grade students in the Gayville Elementary School while her husband, Jim, attended and graduated from Law School at the University of South Dakota in Vermilion, in June 1959. Thereafter, she was an "Army Wife" with Jim when he served three years in the Army.

In 1962, Gloria and her husband moved to Rapid City where they have lived the past 58 amazing years raising their family.

In addition to raising four children, Gloria loved to paint, fish, ski, golf, knit, attend her children's and grandchildren's school and sporting events.  She enjoyed traveling as a tourist with her husband James.  She loved gardening, watching and feeding birds, especially blue birds.

Gloria is survived by her husband, James III, of 64 years; four children and their spouses: Christine and Kent Christopherson of Rapid City; James S. Nelson IV of Rapid City; Elizabeth and Greg Goeken of Las Vegas, NV; and Jennifer Sartorius of Rapid City; seven grandchildren: Garrett, Lisa, Mandy, James V, Hunter, Ruger, and Mason; one great grandchild, James VI; two more great grandchildren on the way and many nieces, nephews friends and relatives.

Visitation will be from 5-7 pm on Thursday, March 5, at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home.

Funeral services celebrating Gloria's life will be at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 6, at the First United Methodist Church in Rapid City.  Lunch and refreshments will follow the service at the church.  Interment will be at the Rapid City Mountain View Cemetery.