Obituary of Evelyn M. Nelson

Evelyn Marie von Oertzen Fogg Erickson Nelson

Dec. 31, 1929     March 6, 2023

Hamburg, NY

Evelyn M. Fogg Nelson, 93, of Hamburg, peacefully passed away at home on Monday, March 6, 2023.  She is survived by her children, Felice (Edward) Krycia, Kurt (late Leslie Manges) Nelson and Alisa (Jason) Fox; grandchildren, Richard Schwartz Erickson, E. Alexander Krycia, Samantha and Katherine Nelson; Nicholas and Casey Fox, Shawna (Jim) Bergman; two great-grandsons, Trent and Jacob Bergman; nephews, Jonathan and Matthew Fogg Ahmed; other family members; friends and her loving aide, Elizabeth Smith.

She was predeceased by her husband of 59 years Burt W. Erickson Nelson; her parents, Wendell G. and G. Viola (Barber) Fogg and sister Erika (late Paul) Fogg Ahmed Crear.

Mrs. Nelson was raised in Glenbrook, CT and completed her two-year college program at Barnard College in NYC, where she met her future husband Burt, a Columbia University student. She later finished her bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from SUNY Empire State College.

She was a well-known local artist, being one of the founding members of the Centennial Art Center of Hamburg Inc. in 1975. She was also a member/board member of the Hamburg Art Society, the SouthTowns Arts Alliance, Hamburg Little Theatre and the National Museum of Women in the Arts

Mrs. Nelson was a grass-roots member of the Hamburg Conservative Party, as well as being a long-time member of the League of Women Voters.

She was a former member of the Great Books Club, Hamburg PTA and was involved with the local 4-H Clubs when her daughters were members. An equestrian herself, she rode and owned horses from the age of 5 until into her 70s.

Mrs. Nelson and her husband were very involved with the WNY German Community, owning and operating a bi-lingual German language newspaper Der Volksfreund/The People’s Friend until Mr. Nelson’s death in 2009. They were both members of the Club Lorelei and the Buffalo/Dortmund Sister-Cities Committee. She loved traveling, making her last trip to Germany when she was 88.

She enjoyed sailing and was a member of the Hamburg Power Squadron. She was also a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Eden.

Mrs. Nelson loved the Adirondack Mountains, spending some of each summer and autumn at the family camp on Paradox Lake.

She was a devoted Buffalo Bills fan, having season tickets for decades, beginning in the 1960s with Jack Kemp through the early 2000s and continued to cheer for the team on TV up through this last season. She also had Buffalo Sabres tickets during the French Connection Era.

A celebration of life/memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 25^th from 1 to 3 p.m. at Donald M. Demmerley Funeral Home, 21 Pierce Ave., Hamburg NY.   Please share condolences at www.demmerleyfuneralhome.com

Donations may be made in her name  to Hospice Foundation, PO Box 590, Buffalo NY 14240.