Lodema A. 'Toby' Nelson

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Lodema A. "Toby" Nelson, 66, of Enfield, formerly of Danville and Ridgway, died suddenly on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2009, at Hamilton Memorial Hospital in McLeansboro.

Lodema was born in Ridgway on May 13, 1943, to the late Estel and Abigail (Dodge) Sauls. She was married to Ralph Nelson on July 15, 1983. Lodema, or Toby as some called her, was always a happy person giving you a smile when you saw her. She had worked for many years at the Carmi hospital and a nursing home in Danville. She was an accomplished majorette, a very good softball player, and a very hard worker. She loved to do crafts and decorating, but most of all loved to be with her family. She was a good mother, wife, grandmother, sister and friend; she will be greatly missed.

Lodema is survived by her husband, Ralph of Enfield; daughters, Paula (Randy) Wagner of Danville, Pauline (Carl) Ingles of Eldorado and Margaret Nelson of Olney; sons, Kevin Sauls of Ridgway and Jeff Nelson of St. Louis, Mo.; brother, Lonnie (Sandy) Sauls of Ridgway; a sister, Anita (John) Hester of Marion; 10 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her parents along with one sister, Wanda; and two brothers, Lenny and Leon.

Visitation for Lodema will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug 21, 2009, at the Cox and Son Funeral Home in Ridgway. The funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, 2009, at the Cox and Son Funeral Home in Ridgway. The Rev. Lyndal Sork will officiate and interment will be in the Old Springer Cemetery near Springerton.

Words of comfort may be sent to the family at the Internet site www.coxandson.com.