Lynn April Nelson

Lynn Nelson was a loving mother, partner, and singer. Lynn began singing and performing in her young life and continued into her 80's. In her last days, she was known for singing along with her favorite jazz standards and tapping her toes to Frank Sinatra.

Lynn was born in Barnesville, MN in 1937 to Loretta Page Nelson and Leonard Alfred Nelson. Lynn was an only child and was close to her parents, who remained very involved in her life. Both parents were musicians, who played in professional Dixieland bands as young adults. Their love of music was passed on to Lynn, who as a teenager did musical theater, performed in live venues and sang on the radio, including on the Lawrence Welk show. After college graduation, Lynn spent a summer in New York City considering a singing career. Instead, she returned to Barnesville and married her college sweetheart.

Lynn achieved a Bachelor's Degree in Speech Therapy at the University of North Dakota, Bismarck, and a Masters Degree in Psychology at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. Her professional career spanned three decades in the Simi Valley School District in California as a Speech and Language Pathologist.Throughout her life, Lynn also performed as a professional singer, both with a solo act and with different bands. Her specialty was the American Songbook, and she released several CD's with her longtime life partner, Fred Brush. She also toured numerous European cities with the California-based Los Robles Master's Chorale.

Lynn was preceded in death by her parents, Loretta and Leonard. She is survived by her son, Nelson, and his wife Laura, and their two children, Lucy and Julian. She is also survived by her longtime partner, Fred Brush, and her previous spouses, Walter Ginther, and Randy Rime.

Her celebration of life will be held March 22nd at 1:00 at Dugan's Pub in Pinehurst, NC. Her remains will later be laid to rest in Barnesville, MN in the family plot.

Donations in her name to a local musical education program would be a fitting tribute to a life dedicated to music.