Born to Swedish immigrants Knut G. Nelson and Anna H. (Persson) Nelson, Vivian, along with her beloved sister Evelyn, were raised in Braintree and E. Braintree. (Vivian looked up to her older sister Evy. She thought she was so lucky to have a loving and elegant older sister). Vivian was a graduate of Braintree High School. 

 

Vivian met her future husband Bill, after learning he was the handsome brother of her best friends, Margaret, Isabelle and Ginger. (Her friends would later become her beloved sisters-in-law.) That connection led to a marriage that endured for 60 years until Bill’s passing in 2013. 

 

Together they raised 3 children in Whitman. They enjoyed being a camping family, traveling all over New England, making memories along the way. A road trip to Disney World was a highlight, testing dad’s patience with 3 kids in the backseat, (not an argument among them), as they made their way to Florida. 

Vivian worked hard her whole life, she had extraordinary secretarial skills, which were evident before she graduated High School. After graduation, she was chosen by the School Superintendent to work for him in his office. Her transcription skills in shorthand were legendary. Her working history includes many years working nights and weekends for the Credit Bureau, followed by time as a Pharmacy Tech at Duval’s Pharmacy in Whitman and at the IRS Criminal Investigative Bureau in Brockton. 

After the kids were grown, Bill and Vivian took a cross country trip, towing their travel trailer behind them, visiting family as they traveled to the west coast.

 

After she retired, Bill and Vivian bought a second home in Winterhaven, Florida. They relished their life as snowbirds, spending winters there for more than 25 years. Vivian’s heart will always remain at the cherished family cottage on Ames Island in E. Wareham, MA. Purchased by her parents in 1948, it became a place where countless summer days were spent together having fun. In time, her sister Evelyn and husband Bob built a cottage across the street, allowing for cousins to spend summers together swimming, catching frogs, having cookouts and making memories. Vivian was proud of her Swedish heritage, in years past, her Christmas Eve birthday would be shared with a traditional Swedish Christmas Eve smorgasbord. 

 

Vivian is survived by her daughter and caregiver, Karin Baker, (Bruce) of Middleboro, MA, grandchildren April Hansen, (Buddy), of Kingston, MA, Derek Baker (Bethann), of Middleboro, MA, Julianne Sullivan of Hyannis, MA, Lindsay Kruse, (Eric), of Indianapolis, IN; daughter-in-law Imelda Mills of Fairbanks, AK, great-grandchildren, Cole Hansen, Cali Hansen and Ari Hansen, Alexandra Baker, Hayley Baker, Oliver Kruse, Isaac Kruse and Miles Kruse, and she loved her grand-dog, Trixie Baker. Vivian experienced devastating losses in her life; she was pre-deceased by her son Steven of Fairbanks, AK, daughter Sue-Anne Johnson of Middleboro, MA, and granddaughter Amy Baker of Middleboro, MA.  Vivian is survived by nieces and nephews across the country. Before her illness, she enjoyed exchanging emails with all of them. Vivian will be missed by her neighbors and bingo partners at Cromesett Woods in Wareham.

 

Services are private. In lieu of flowers and to honor family members that Vivian has lost to cancer, please consider a memorial gift, which can be made by going to cancer.org