Shelly Nelson

Shelly Anderson Nelson | 1960-2026

Shelly Anderson Nelson passed away in her home surrounded by family on September 15, 2026.

Shelly was born to Naomi Clarissa Zundel Anderson and George Maurice Anderson on March 5, 1960 in Salt Lake City, Utah, the youngest of four children. She grew up in the Avenues neighborhood and attended East High School, excelling in academics. She attended Utah State University where she majored in Home Economics and Nutrition and also studied music, taking classes in piano pedagogy. While at Utah State she met her sweetheart Lloyd Holt Nelson and the two were married on April 7, 1980.

After graduating college, Shelly worked as a teacher in Davis County and the couple bought their first home in the Sugarhouse neighborhood. In 1985 they welcomed their first child, Brooke. Shortly after, the young family moved to Kent, Washington for a few years and Shelly spoke all her life of the happy memories she had of living in the Seattle area, the friends they made there, and the many adventures and excursions they had.

In 1990, the family returned to Utah, buying a home in Bountiful where they would live for the next nine years. Their second child, Alex was born in 1990, and Sam came along in 1996 as the family caboose. In 1999, the family moved again to Cedar Hills, Utah and has lived there since.

In all three homes, Shelly taught piano lessons and, while she never returned to full-time teaching, was diligent about renewing her teaching license annually until retirement and staying current in her area of expertise. She was a great example to her children of lifelong learning and hard work.

Shelly had a strong testimony of Jesus Christ as her Savior and spent countless hours serving in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a pianist, leader in the primary and young women, and serving three different times as Relief Society president or a member of the stake Relief Society presidency.

Shelly was a devoted mother and loved her children dearly. She was an especially fierce advocate for the health and educational needs of her youngest child who was born with Down syndrome, and Shelly made many personal sacrifices of time, sleep, and energy as Sam’s full-time caregiver for 30 years. She loved her grandbabies and nothing delighted her more than spending time with them.

Shelly loved to travel and was close to completing a goal of visiting all 50 states when she passed, and she had a special place in her heart for Hawaii. A dream trip to Italy, originally meant to be a milestone anniversary trip canceled during the pandemic, was turned into a gift she shared a few years later with all three of her children and their spouses, too.

She loved simple, cozy luxuries like a nice pair of slippers, hot chocolate, the occasional pedicure, and a good home cooked meal. She was an excellent cook and shared her love through food and all the thought she put into planning meals for family gatherings and birthdays. At her house, birthdays lasted for a whole week. She enjoyed games and puzzles—mastering Sudoku and backgammon and she was difficult to beat in Mario Kart. She got a huge kick out of seeing “the cousins” gather at extended family events and enjoying time together, including the annual Christmas tradition of playing chimes. Christmas music, especially the bells, delighted her, and she played for a couple of seasons with the Timpanogos Ringers.

Our family will always remember how deeply she loved us. We will miss her and are sad her journey here was cut short, but are confident in the joyful reunion she is having with her parents and her brother Lynn, whom she adored and missed so much after their passing, on the other side.

Shelly is survived by her husband Lloyd, her children Brooke (Dallin Johnston), Alex (Cait Cooper), and Sam; her sisters Marsha Adams (Mark) and Elaine Hess (Michael); and by many nieces, nephews, and her grandchildren.

A viewing will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, September 25, and at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 26, followed by funeral services at 10 a.m., all at 9737 Chesterfield Drive in Cedar Hills. Burial will be at Memorial Lake Hills Mortuary in Sandy.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation be made in Shelly’s name to the Utah Food Bank or Habitat for Humanity.