Geraldine Carlton Nelson Obituary

Missionary Geraldine Carlton Nelson, affectionately known as "Dean", 72, resident of Cairo, Illinois died Sunday, April 14, 2019 at her home surrounded by loved ones after a valiant fight against metastatic breast cancer. She was born June 18, 1946, in Cairo, Illinois, the seventh child of the late Jimmie and Justine Randolph Carlton.

Geraldine attended elementary school and Sumner High School in Cairo, Illinois and Shawnee Community College in Ullin, Illinois. Dean was an active member of Holy City Church of God in Christ before rejoining her childhood church, First Central Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of her son, Reverend Lorenzo C. Nelson.

She worked diligently to serve humanity while promoting and modeling peace, love, joy, meekness, humbleness, and kindness. Geraldine was a Virtuous woman. She loved reading the Holy Bible, sharing God's word, and listening to gospel music. Some of her favorite songs: "I Know I've Been Sealed", "I Am Just Holding On", "Everything's Going to Be Alright", "I Still Have Joy", "His Eyes are on the Sparrow", "When I Rose", "The Will of God" "Jesus is the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me", and countless others.

Missionary Nelson's life work was to nurture children. She always had children in the home. Her mission work began at the age of 17 with raising her siblings after her mother passed away and continued until her departure from this world. She worked for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services as a foster mother for over 35 years.

She and her husband foster parented well over 30 amazing children who cherished her pleasant demeanor, love, and yes, healthy, hearty meals. Dean would feed everyone she came in contact with and would not accept a "no thank you" as a reply. Anything she could offer to make your day more pleasant, she would and you would not even have to ask.

She ascertained the gift of discernment to invest in "all" people. Geraldine was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Joe Louis Nelson, five brothers, Willie Carlton, Norman Carlton, Billy Joe Carlton, Frankie Carlton and Henry Carlton, one sister, Mae Francis Kenny and three children, Sabrina Denise Carlton, Murial Wilcher and Reverend Lorenzo C. Nelson.

Geraldine was united in marriage to Joe Louis Nelson in 1965. This union was blessed with children, seven daughters, Regina (Timothy) Brown, Pamela Carlton, Deborah (Bernard) Brown, and Destiny Nelson all of Cairo, Illinois, Renata (Terrance) Hill, Quavaline Nelson of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Sandra (Harold) Frank, four sons, Brian Nelson of Cairo, Illinois, Edgar (Debra) Nelson of Gary, Indiana, Leslie Nelson of Phoenix, Arizona and Douglas Nelson of Las Vegas, Nevada, four brothers, Jimmy (Linda) Carlton, Jr. of Salisbury, Maryland, Johnnie Carlton of Chicago, Illinois, Melvin (Ora) Carlton of Davenport, Iowa and Sylvester (Glenda) Carlton, of Cairo, Illinois, two sisters, Ida Mae (Roosevelt) Clayton of Cairo, Illinois and Lillie Hopkins of Addison, Illinois, 22 grandchildren, 20+ great grandchildren, and a host of nephews, nieces cousins, other relatives and friends, including a special daughter, Reginda Moore and a special sister, Jereldine Carlton whom visited or checked on her everyday.

Friends may call Saturday, April 20, 2019 from 11:00 A. M until the funeral hour of 1:00 P. M. at the Mighty Rivers Activity Center, 215 10th Street, Cairo, Illinois, with Pastor Jimmie Ellis officiating and Pastor Michael Wade will be the eulogist. Interment will follow in Green Lawn Memorial Gardens in Villa Ridge, Illinois with the Williams Funeral Home of Charleston, Missouri in charge of arrangements.