July 15, 1931 – August 16, 2024
It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Delia “Dee” A. (Dwaresky) Nelson, of Reading, the beloved wife of the late Dr. Frederick C. Nelson. Dee passed away peacefully on August 16, 2024, surrounded by the love of her family. She lived a long, fulfilling life marked by many exciting adventures, a deep love for her family, and cherished friendships that spanned decades. Dee recently celebrated her 93rd birthday, a milestone in a life well-lived.
Born and raised in South Boston, Dee enjoyed her youth by the shores of Carson Beach and found joy in dancing with a Lithuanian Dance Troupe. This passion for dance allowed her to travel and create lifelong friendships. However, Dee’s greatest pride and joy was her family. Alongside her husband Fred, she raised four children in the close-knit communities of Barrows Road and Belmont Street in Reading, where the neighborhood was more like an extended family.
Fred’s teaching career took the family abroad to Southampton, England, and Lyon, France, where Dee embraced new cultures and expanded her love of life. Bermuda held a special place in Dee and Fred’s hearts, as they would often return there to celebrate their wedding anniversaries.
Dee’s warmth, loyalty, and unwavering friendship will be deeply missed by all who knew her. Among those grieving her loss are her childhood friends from Southie—Irene Jackmauh, Lillian Gailius, and Ronnie Bizinkauskas—who shared a lifetime of support and love with Dee, exemplifying the strength and endurance of true friendship.
Dee leaves behind her son Jeffrey Nelson and his wife Anne Marie of Bradford, MA, her daughter Karen Nelson and partner Gerry Aiello of Winchester, MA, daughter Christine Tschuor and her husband Tom of Babcock Ranch, Florida, her brother-in-law Reverend Roger Nelson, her nephew Craig Nelson of New York City, and her adored grandchildren Alyssa (Nelson) Skinner, Tyler Nelson, Olivia, and Vanessa DeFilippo, along with her first great-grandchild Isabella Skinner. She was predeceased by her loving husband Fred, with whom she shared 54 wonderful years of marriage, and her courageous son Richard, who passed away from cystic fibrosis. The family is especially grateful to her devoted caregivers, Gloria DeCicco and Dolly Souther, who provided exceptional care during the final years of her life.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Dee’s memory to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at www.cff.org or The Melanoma Research Foundation at www.melanoma.org.
A Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, August 21 at 10:30 am at St. Athanasius Church, 300 Haverhill Street, Reading, MA. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend and celebrate Dee’s life and legacy. Arrangements by the Douglass, Edgerley & Bessom Funeral Home, Reading.
