Margine (Armstrong) Nelson

MARGINE ARMSTONG NELSON
April 29, 1936 – April 26, 2025

Margine A. Nelson was born on April 29,1936 in Coffee County, Alabama to parents, Ivey Armstrong and Sybil Codeal Brown Armstrong. Being from a military home, she grew up in many locations during her childhood. When they moved to Fort Walton Beach, Florida, she found her home and soon married the love of her life for sixty-seven years, Lendy Kenneth Nelson. Her first job was at the historic Brooks BBQ on Highway 98 and then at Drake’s Drug Store on Main Street, where she was learning to be a pharmacy technician and aspiring to be a pharmacist. Once married, she devoted her time and career to caring for her home and family. She loved working with her flowers, cooking, shopping and going out to eat. We will miss her country fried steak, fried okra and the fish fries!

Margine is preceded in death by both her parents, Ivey Armstrong, and Sybil Codeal Brown Armstrong Ballou; her brother, Albert Edker Armstrong of Fort Walton Beach; her husband, Lendy K. Nelson, Sr.; and her son-in-law, Albert E. Paris of Freeport, Florida. Margine is survived by her two sisters, Carlene Pearce (Ted) of West Point, Georgia and Arline Griffith (Chuck) of Carrollton, Georgia; her son, Lendy K. Nelson, Jr. (Tanya) of Fort Walton Beach; and her daughter, Sherry Nelson Paris of Freeport, Florida.  

Margine is also survived by several sisters-in-law, Imogene Armstrong of Fort Walton Beach, Gussie Elmore of Shalimar, Florida, Audrey Walters of Memphis, Tennessee, and Christine Anderson of Shalimar, Florida, as well as numerous nieces and nephews in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Texas.

The family wishes to thank Sandy Tingle and the staff at Carington Manor in Crestview, Florida for all their special love, care and compassion during this time. We appreciate you more than words can say.

Funeral Services will be held at Davis-Watkins Funeral Home in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, located at 113 Racetrack Road, Northeast. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m., followed by the Funeral Service at 11:00 a.m.  A Graveside Service will follow at Beal Memorial Cemetery in Fort Walton Beach. All Services will be officiated by Reverend Tim Burnham and Reverend Dean DeMarra. The pallbearers will be nephew, Mark Edwards and family friends, Raymond Villanueva, R.J. Long and Hubert Trimmel.

Flowers are accepted or in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First Baptist Church of DeFuniak Springs at 216 E. Live Oak Avenue, DeFuniak Springs, FL  32435.