Miss Linnie Nelson

Linnie James Nelson lived 90 glorious years as a Daughter, Sister, Wife of sixty years, Mother of four, Grandmother of nine, Great-Grandmother of twelve and, most importantly, as a faithful child of God. She loved the Lord, her family, and her friends.

Linnie was born in Kannapolis, North Carolina to Robert Conley James, a Baptist minister, and Myrtle Hallman James, a Nurse Midwife. She was the youngest of three. She had two adoring brothers, Bobby Eugene James and Mack Conley James. When her parents introduced her to her brothers, they were so excited that they now had their "very own baby doll". From that day forward, she was called "Baby Doll" by her parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and close friends.

Linnie and Jerry married in 1952 prior to him leaving for Europe where he served in the Air Force Band. In 1959 they relocated to Greenville, South Carolina as one of the founders of Pecknel Music Company. She worked in bookkeeping at Pecknel until they retired. It didn't take long for them to realize they weren't ready to retire. It was then that they started their own instrument repair business. Linnie was the face of the business while Jerry did the instrument repairs. The business was thriving and successful until Jerry's passing in 2013. They spent their free time traveling around the country and staying at their permanent campsite at Chimney Rock, North Carolina in their motor home. The mountains were her happy place.

Linnie moved to Alpharetta, Georgia in March 2013 and lived with her daughter Bridgette and her family. She was very active in her church, Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Bible study groups, and Sunday School. She loved her church friends and the many other friends she made in Alpharetta. She had an insatiable appetite for reading. She kept the Alpharetta Library busy since she could read a book in two days. Her preference was mysteries and stories that took place in the Carolinas and Georgia. Next to reading, her next loves were taking day trips and dining out with friends.

Linnie's family:

Bridgette Dieringer-Nations (Blake) Dalton, Georgia; Lauren Ramon (Nick), Tampa, Florida; Leah Dieringer, Atlanta, Georgia; Charles Nelson (Dru), St. Augustine, Florida; Pearce Parisi (Brian), St. Augustine, Florida; Rowan and Andrew; Carter Nelson (Shelby), St. Augustine, Florida; Landon and Nona; Blair Kiser (Colby) St. Augustine, Florida; Marsha Mantooth; Chase Mantooth (Rachel), Simpsonville, South Carolina; Landen and Logan; Jacob Mantooth (Lindsey), Travelers Rest, South Carolina; Dawsen and Owen

June Clayton (Scott), Columbia, South Carolina; Jennifer Watson (Tyler), Columbia, South Carolina; Caden and Jackson; Andrea Rayle (Travis), Columbia, South Carolina; Laura June and Leda Paige

Mother, we love and miss you!

A memorial service will be held at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, located at 5390 McGinnis Ferry Rd., Alpharetta, GA, 30005. The service is scheduled for February 7, 2026, at 2:00 pm.

MOTHER

From "The Broken Wings" by Kahlil Gibran

The most beautiful word on the lips of mankind is the word "Mother", and the most beautiful call is the call of "My Mother". It is a word full of hope and love, a sweet and kind word coming from the depths of the heart.

The mother is everything - she is our consolation in sorrow, our hope in misery, and our strength in weakness. She is the source of love mercy, sympathy, and forgiveness. He who loses his mother loses a pure soul who blesses and guards him constantly. Everything in nature bespeaks the mother.

The sun is the mother of the earth and gives its nourishment of heart; it never leaves the universe at night until it has put the earth to sleep to the song of the sea and hymn of birds and brooks. And the earth is the mother of trees and flowers. It produces them, nurses them, and weans them. The trees and flowers become kind mothers of their great fruits and seeds. And the mother, the prototype of all existence, the eternal spirit, full of beauty and love.

The word mother is hidden in our hearts, and it comes upon our lips in hours of sorrow and happiness as the perfume comes from the heart of the rose and mingles with clear and cloudy air.