Margaret "Gig" Nelson

Margaret Gig Graham Harrison Nelson, 88, passed away on Friday, December 28, 2012 after an extended illness. She was a life long resident of Buncombe County and the daughter of the late Horace and Lillian Graham. She attended Woodfin High School where she played basketball and developed lifelong friendships. She went on to work in a variety of jobs including as a buyer for Bon Marche and with her husband at Harrison Furniture Store in Swannanoa. She was civic minded and volunteered many hours with the Land of the Sky Shrine Auxiliary and Guardian Ad Liteum. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by husbands David W. Harrison Jr. and Donald U. Nelson, siblings, Juanita, Earl, Arnold, Jenny, Mary, Paul, Horace, Bill and Jeanne, stepsons, David W. Harrison III and Dennis Nelson and great granddaughter, Mattie Shields. Surviving are daughters, Paula Morrow of Asheville and Sherry Shields and husband, Newton, of Candler; stepsons Roger Nelson and wife, Mariam, and Terry Nelson and wife, Megan, grandchildren Heather Shields of Franklin, Angela Langford and husband, Mike, of Hickory, and Wes Shields and wife, Laura, of Candler; great granddaughters Maya and Leigh Langford and Emma and Cody Shields. A number of nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews also survive. The family would like to thank the staff, especially those on the Alzheimers Unit, at Emerald Ridge Rehabilitation and Care Center who provided her with a loving second home. A memorial service will be held Monday, December 31st at 1:00 at St. Lukes Episcopal Church on Chunns Cove Road in Asheville. The family will receive friends following the service at the St. Lukes parish hall. Memorial donations may be made to the Land of the Sky Shrine Club or St. Lukes Episcopal Church.