Jerilyn ‘Jeri’ K. Nelson – California, Pa.

Jerilyn “Jeri” K. Nelson, of California, Pa., passed away peacefully on Feb. 10, 2024, with her beloved son, Ernie, by her side. She was 82. Jeri was born Dec. 23, 1941, to Homer H. Langendorf and Lena Ann Perry. After Jeri attended Monongahela High School, she married Donald Y. Nelson of Charleroi and devoted herself as a homemaker. When she entered the workforce, Jeri enjoyed many employment opportunities throughout the Mon Valley. She was a well-known and valued cashier at Charleroi Foodland for over 11 years, and performed customer service, sales and inventory control for several of the Riverside Shoppes in Lower Speers. With her love of fashion and indefatigable ability to shop, Jeri happily worked for Labels Fashion Store in Tri-County Plaza, Belle Vernon. A life-long caretaker, Jeri then attended Westmoreland County Community College where she completed her education as a Certified Nursing Assistant. With her CNA degree in hand, Jeri worked at Caregivers of Southwestern PA, Laurelview Comprehensive Care Center and Albert Gallatin Home Health. Jeri received many accolades from patients and their families during her tenure at Albert Gallatin as a visiting home health aide, and as part of their Hospice Team. Jeri completed her wide-ranging career as a classroom aide for Washington County Head Start Program, where she worked with her son-in-law, Doug Kovach, now deceased. Her love of children and enthusiastic personality made her a favorite of children and parents alike. True to her Italian heritage, Jeri was an excellent and passionate cook, always finding new recipes to share with her family and friends, who were happy to oblige. Always keen to contribute and participate, Jeri loved to be the life of the party and to bring joy to everyone around her. Ever eager to attend anniversary and birthday parties, Jeri would dance and cook for these and other social gatherings. And on one memorable occasion Jeri and her co-workers at Foodland created a wonderfully-imagined float for Charleroi’s annual Halloween parade, inspired by the fictional rural “Kornfield Kounty” from the well-known TV variety show “Hee Haw.” Jeri loved Don, her husband of 58 years. They enjoyed traveling together, and Jeri took every opportunity while doing so to shop up and down the Eastern seaboard. If you knew Jeri well you know this to be true. In addition to her husband, Don, and son-in-law, Doug, Jeri was preceded in death by her sister, Barbara “Bonnie” Opfer. Jeri is survived by her niece, Christine Saccamango (Anthony) of Wilkins Township, many other family members and, most of all, her adored and adoring son, Ernie, and his partner, Mitchell. Friends will be received from 2 to 6 p.m. the time of service on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, at JOHN B. GREENLEE FUNERAL HOME LTD., 2830 Main St., Beallsville, Pa., with Pastor David McElroy officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to Washington County Gay Straight Alliance, 59 E. Strawberry Ave., Washington, PA 15301 or the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, Heinz Hall, 600 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15222. An online guestbook is available at www.GreenleeFuneralHome.com.