Funeral services will be 1 pm Friday, at First Baptist Church of Gadsden, for Mrs. Joyce T. Nelson, 90, of Rainbow City, who died Tuesday April 9, 2019. Reverends Bill Harbison, Max Roden and Mat Alexander will officiate. Entombment will be in Crestwood Mausoleum. Crestwood Funeral Home announcing.

She is preceded in death by husband of 47 years Reverend Ray S. Nelson and son in law Charles Elrod.

She is survived by son, Michael Nelson, daughter Rhoda Elrod, grandsons Benjamin Elrod, Jess Nelson and Jared (Savanna) Nelson, brother Jim W.(Elsie) Tomberlin, sisters :Gayle(Walter) Griffin, Judy(Tommy) Vest, nieces and nephews Chris(Julie) Tomberlin, Walter and Woody(Laura) Griffin, Jamie(Kathy) Vest and Susan(Clark) Knight.

Mrs. Nelson was a graduate of  New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Arkansas State University and University of Alabama

Her teaching experience was counselor and psychometrist for Talladega School for the Deaf, and Guidance Counselor at Gadsden State Community College from 1968-1972. She was appointed International Student Advisor in 1973-1994 and initiated Alabama Language Institute which to this day teaches English as a second language to international students from across the world.

She served in numerous professional organizations; Delta Kappa Gamma, Altrusa Club of Gadsden, NEA, AEA, along with National regional and state associations of Junior College  Foreign Student affairs advisory boards. In 1982 she was a grantee of Fulbright Administrative Study Award to represent the American Junior College System in Germany.

She was the recipient of numerous community and service awards.It was her joy to volunteer at Gadsden Regional Medical Center for 6 years.

Along with her husband, she delighted in teaching Bible Classes to international students at East Gadsden Baptist Church and at First Baptist Gadsden. She organized Host Family Programs for the students.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Samaritans Purse.

Pallbearers will be grandsons and nephews.

Honorary pallbearers are Dr. Chip Griffith and Dr. Alberto Echeverri.