Imagine being only ten years old and having to take a two-day 1,000 mile train trip across India with your younger brothers in order to attend a boarding school. No wonder travel and adventure were so normal to Mary throughout her life. For those of you who only knew our mother as the sweet polite proper little lady of her later years, we want you to know that Mary was way more complex than that.
The Rev. Dr. Marvin Paul Nelson loved and served God and God’s people. He was born Nov. 11, 1951, in the Presbyterian Mission Hospital in Miraj, India. He died Jan. 20, 2020, at his home in Woodstock, having had the joy of preaching and serving as senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Woodstock, for 19 years. He retired in January 2019 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Jane was in grade school in Kodai part time and then from 7th grade through high school. She was an excellent student, the head of social activity planning, a very good actress and a very vivacious member of our class. Jane had a wonderful voice and perfect pitch and also was Kodai’s only ever harp player. Her mother was our beloved English teacher our senior year . At some point after leaving Kodai, Jane became ”Sheri” to all her family and friends. Jane attended Barnard College.
