Teresa Nelson

Teresa Nelson, age 61, of Ortonville, MN, passed away on Monday, July 10, 2023, at the Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 15, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at New Life Community Baptist Church in Ortonville, MN. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, July 14, 2023, at the church with a prayer service beginning at 7:00 p.m. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Pastor Philip Ostlund will officiate the service and interment will be at Evergreen Cemetery in Stockholm, SD.

Teresa Kay (Tuttle) Nelson was born on April 29, 1962, in Upper Sandusky, OH, to Paul and Alta (Renfro) Tuttle. She was raised in Ohio and attended school in St. Marys, OH. Following school, Teresa worked various jobs in Ohio and moved to South Dakota where she married Stephen Lee. The two subsequently divorced but Teresa continued to live in South Dakota.

On February 14, 1986, Teresa was united in marriage with Lane Nelson of Stockholm, SD. They made their home on a farm near Stockholm and Teresa being a city girl, had to learn farm life.

Along with farm work, Teresa and Lane owned and operated a café in Twin Brooks, SD, and later, they opened a café in South Shore, SD. Between the cafes, she worked in Watertown, SD, at HyVee and Guest House. Teresa and Lane eventually moved to Ortonville, MN, after spending a couple summers at Lake Shore RV Park on Big Stone Lake. In 2013, Teresa opened Grandma’s Thrifty Hideaway thrift store in Ortonville.

With a caring heart, Teresa cared for her mother in Ohio from 1995 to 1999, she was a foster parent for a number of children, and she cared for her cousin’s children who called her “Grandma”.

In 2009, Teresa was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She did chemotherapy and it made her awfully sick. Teresa and Lane made a vacation trip down south where a lady did a healing prayer. Later, her scans showed the cancer spots were different, but Teresa continued to have a lot of pain. She continued to lose weight and her health declined.

Teresa is survived by her husband, Lane of Ortonville, MN; daughter, Jessica of Big Stone City, SD; eight grandchildren; brother, Mike Tuttle of Ohio; two sisters; along with many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and one brother.