Helen V. (Alexander) Nelson, 67, died Thursday, April 8, 2010, at her home in Rapid City following a long battle with cancer. She was born June 17, 1942, in Custer, SD, to Everett and Bethel (Mendenhall) Alexander. She attended school in Custer until her family moved to Rapid City, where she spent her senior year of high school, graduating from Rapid City High School. She attended Green’s Beauty School after high school. She married Russell Nelson on June 18, 1961, in Rapid City. They lived in Rapid City and Black Hawk. After Russ passed away, she moved to Phoenix, Arizona, then to Stantonville, Tennessee, before returning to Rapid City to be with her family three years ago. When her children were young, Helen owned and operated a beauty shop from her home. Later, she worked at Landstrom’s Black Hills Gold, doing several different jobs in the factory, including working in the raw-materials vault and the shipping department. After she moved to Phoenix, she took classes for floral design, and worked in a flower shop in the Phoenix area. She was a very creative person, and enjoyed drawing sketches, painting, designing and making jewelry, and dancing, especially to country music. Helen was very dedicated to her family, and looked forward to family get-togethers and spending time with her grandchildren. Near the end of her life, she kept fighting because her first great-grandchild was due, and she wanted to be here when he was born. Only after he arrived did she decide it was her time to go. She loved to laugh, and, in her final days, when you asked if she needed anything, she always said she needed to hear laughter. Helen is survived by, and will be greatly missed by: Her mother, Bethel Alexander, Rapid City; two daughters, Natalie and Craig Bailey, and Rusanne and Chip Petrik, of Rapid City; two sons, Randy and Sandy Nelson, Black Hawk, and Rodney and Julie Nelson, Summerset; three brothers, Jim and Ruth Ann Alexander, Glendale, AZ; Bob Alexander, Rapid City; and Don and Paula Alexander, Black Hawk; her special companion, Jim Austin, Rapid City; 15 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father, Everett Alexander; her husband, Russell Nelson; and her sister, Bonnie (Alexander) Loar.