March 28, 2024

Rehoboth/Wrentham - Lillian May (Rivers) Nelson

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Lillian May (Rivers) Nelson, formerly of Anawan Street, Rehoboth, and more recently the Maples Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Wrentham, died on Aug. 15, 2013, knowing she was loved by her sister, daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She met her future husband Al, who died in 2007, in 1944 at the Fields Point Shipyard in Providence, while building ships for the war effort. They were indeed part of the greatest generation and they married on April 14, 1945.

She was born Oct. 13, 1923 in Providence to Ralph Rivers Sr. and Mary (Almeida) Rivers. She was the first of 10 children. She was preceded in death by Elsie Aquilante, Ralph W., Raymond, Frank, Dorothy Wagner, Helen Lavin and Ann Joan. She is survived by a brother, L. William Rivers and a sister, Rosemarie Kapusta and many nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Nelson worked at Engelhard Industries in Attleboro as the receptionist in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

She was the Past Worthy Matron of the Order of Eastern Star of the Martha Washington Chapter No. 18, Warren, R.I., in 1957-1958. Mrs. Nelson was a member of Second Congregational Church, UCC of Attleboro and a member of the board of deacons from 1988-1990, a member and past president of the Martha Circle and a proud member of the church's flower committee.

Her other love was the water. She used to love to swim and sail to the Sabin Point Lighthouse on Rose Island in East Providence before the '38 hurricane changed life for her family when they lost their home.

They had two daughters, Joyce who married Ted Moxham of Attleboro, and Cheri who married Ernie Dardenne, also of Attleboro. Mrs. Nelson loved watching her grandchildren, Jennifer Dardenne Callan, Kristin Moxham Keith, Jeffrey Dardenne, and Erika Moxham Murphy, grow and enjoy the "wide open spaces of Rehoboth while visiting their grandparents."

She was blessed with five great-grandchildren, Ashley, Tyler, Hailey, Jake and Ben, who just arrived on Aug. 8.

Public visitation has been respectfully omitted.

A private funeral service was scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2013, in the Memorial Chapel of the Dyer-Lake Funeral Home - the nationally historic Colonel Obed Robinson Home, 161 Commonwealth Ave. (exit 5 off Interstate-95 N or S, go right, 3/4 mile on the left), Village of Attleboro Falls, North Attleboro with the Rev. F. Vernon Wright, pastor of Second Congregational Church, Attleboro, officiating.

Burial was to follow in Oak Knoll Cemetery, Rehoboth.

Please omit flowers. Memorial donations in Mrs. Nelson's name may be made to the Second Congregational Church - Deacon's Fund, Park Street, Attleboro, MA 02703.

For additional information or to send the family a written expression of sympathy, visit a guest book at dyer-lakefuneralhome.com.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Dyer-Lake Funeral Home - the national historic Colonel Obed Robinson Home, 161 Commonwealth Ave., Village of Attleboro Falls, North Attleboro, 508-695-0200.

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