Doris Bonnell Nelson

Doris Bonnell Nelson, a bright and energetic woman who liked white wine with ice, a stylish jacket, the cello, and completing crossword puzzles passed away on February 10, 2020. Doris was raised in Hutchinson, Kansas after her adoption by George and Clarice Bonnell, who cherished her. She graduated Salutatorian from Hutchinson High, went to Girls State and Girls Nation and received the Young America Award. Then attended the University of Kansas to get a dual degree in Education and the new field of Speech Pathology. While in Lawrence, Doris met her husband and future co-adventurer, Jerry Nelson, and they married his first year in medical school. They sailed, hiked and skied together for 63 years, and traveled throughout the United States and Europe. They raised three children together. However, that was not the only thing that kept Doris busy. She served on the Wichita Symphony Society board for 27 years and twice as board president, also as board president of Wichita Children’s Home. Doris actively served on the boards of Rainbows United, Sedgwick County Historical Museum, Kappa chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta, Exploration Place, Arts Partners, Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice and both Fine Arts Boards of the University of Kansas and Wichita State. Plymouth Congregational Church honored Doris with the Dr. John Hornung Award for serving as their first woman moderator. She twice received the Wichita/Sedgwick County Arts and Humanities Gordon W. Evans Award. If you were fortunate enough to serve with her, you know she was a smart contributor, a great fundraiser, on time with a brilliant smile. She was proud of her family, friends, and community. They will deeply miss her. Some people give more than they take, and Doris was one of them. She is survived by her husband Jerry Nelson, children Laura Crowl, Sara Stauffer, and Forrest Nelson, sons-in-law Frank Crowl and Ward Stauffer, six grandsons, and one great-granddaughter. Doris was born July 7, 1935, but always looked younger. Her family would like you to know that her elegance was in her kindness. In lieu of flowers, it would delight Doris if donations were made to the Wichita Children’s Home, 7271 E. 37th St. N., Wichita, KS 67226 https://wch.org/giving  A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, February 22 at Plymouth Congregational Church. This summer, in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, the family will scatter her ashes at the family home in her garden of daisies where deer, elk and the occasional bear wanders through. Downing & Lahey Mortuary - East Chapel.