Nellie Mae Beelaert

Nellie Mae Shafer Elder Beelaert  (94) died Friday morning in Pocatello, Idaho at The Gables.  Nellie was born of German, Irish, and Dutch descendants in a little house on a ranch at Byers, Colorado on March 2, 1920 to Charles Lester Shafer and Lena Lillian Rhyne Shafer.

She was married to Clair Otto Elder March 2, 1938 by a Baptist minister in Englewood, Colorado.  They had two children, Glen Otto Elder and Judy May Elder Hanson Walters.  Clair died on January 3, 1973 and Nellie married Henry Evo Beelaert on August 22, 1973.  Evo died May 2002 survived by his children Ron Beelaert and Nancy Wagner.

Nellie attended school at the one room Busy Bee School House in Colorado completing the 8

th

grade with a score of 92.  She always wanted to be a writer and through the years wrote little poems, thoughts, and pieces of her family’s history on various scraps of paper and the backs of envelopes.  All of her writings reflect her personal values toward God.  In keeping with her Christian values Clair and Nellie also raised two foster daughters, Reva and Althea Johnson, and one adopted daughter, Amy Moyer. She was a member of the Shelley Assembly of God Church and the Christian Missionary Alliance church in Pocatello.

She is survived by her daughter, Judy Walters (Martinez, CA) and son, Glen Elder (Pocatello, ID), Ron Beelaert, Nancy Wagner. Also survived by ten grandchildren, Elaine Prokschl, Diane Harding, Karen Dexter, Alan Hanson, Erika Hanson, Jennifer Smith, Janaye Sanders, Sally Smith, Missy Wilson, Sandy Wagner, and 17 great grandchildren.

Shortly before her death, in the first few pages of her Bible, Nellie had written a passage from Ecclesiastes12:7  “

Then shall the dust return to the Earth as it was. And the spirit shall return to God who gave it.

”

Funeral services will be held 11:00 A.M. Thursday, November 6, 2014 at the Christian Missionary Alliance Church, 800 Marinus Lane in Pocatello.  The family will meet with friends Wednesday evening from 6:00 till 7:30 P.M. at Nalder Funeral Home, 110 W Oak, in Shelley and Thursday morning for one hour prior to the services at the church. Burial will be in the Fielding Memorial Cemetery.