Golden Deer “Tiny” Nelson, 91
Golden Deer “Tiny” Nelson was born March 19, 1924 in Kansas City, Missouri. She was baptized into the Christian faith. Tiny was raised in Felton, Minnesota, by her Aunt HE. She graduated as valedictorian of her class in 1942. After graduation she went to Washington and Texas. In Washington she joined the war effort as a “Rosie the Riveter” girl. She returned to Minnesota and was married on August 14, 1944, to Harlan Worden. Together they had four girls: Dixie, Lynn, Jane and Connie. The family lived in several towns in Minnesota following Harley’s creamery job as a butter maker. Tiny played the organ in church and taught Sunday school. She also worked for the creamery as a bookkeeper.
In 1959 the family moved to Baudette, MN. They lived in the Green Arrow cabins until they found the Vidas home at Clementson. Harlan died Nov. 7, 1959. In 1961 Tiny and her girls moved into town and lived in an apartment above the East Side liquor store. Tiny lived there until it closed in 1995. She then moved to a small house east of town where she loved to see the stars at night.
After her husband’s death Tiny worked as a housekeeper for several families in town as well as the Catholic parsonage. She got a job at the Peace Park and finally the East Side liquor store. Soon she also became a bartender there. I’m sure there are some patrons left who remember her.
Tiny became ill the first time in 1999, but she recovered. She entered the LakeWoood Care Center in 2009 and stayed there until her death on February 25, 2015. She loved her room “the nicest one in the place”. She enjoyed all birds even the ravens. She continued to her love for cats and was sure the ones in the care center were hers. She loved when the flowers were planted in the spring. Tiny spent many hours watching from her window. She also loved crossword and jigsaw puzzles, reading magazines and newspapers, and playing cribbage and pool. Most tasks had become difficult for her at the end.
Golden Deer Worden is survived by her four daughters, Dixie (Jim) Mott, Lynn (John) Cloutier, Jane (Rudy) Cauble and Connie Davidson; sister, K (Wayne) Erickson; 5 grandchildren; 4 step-grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren; 7 step-great- grandchildren; 2 nieces and 1 nephew.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Harlan; mother Freda; aunt, HE (Rex) Worden who raised her aunt Manna, as well as many cousins.
