Jaqueline Nelson

Jacqueline (Jackie) Brown Nelson passed away peacefully at home on Friday, September 17, at 6:00 pm with family at her side. She was born in Chicago on September 7, 1928, to Patricia and Elmore Brown.

Jackie attended both The Putney School in Vermont and Smith College where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Art.

In 1951, she married her childhood friend, Jack H. Nelson. Jack and Jackie later moved to Ft. Lauderdale, FL where their four children were born. The family moved to Santa Fe, NM in 1970, where Jackie taught art at Santa Fe High School from 1973 until to 1980. 

Jackie later spent a year in Italy, studying theology and art at the Universita Degli Studi Di Firenze. She also traveled to Moscow by herself at age 75 to study icons. She was a santera and iconographer who not only created innumerable icons and retablos, but also taught the art until very recently, therefore passing on that art that she was so passionate about.

Jackie was a founder of Our Lady of the Desert convent, a woman's branch of the Christ in the Desert Monastery, as well as a founding member of the Holy Trinity Orthodox Church of Santa Fe. As such, many of her beautiful icons will always remain a part of the church.

Jackie was preceded in death by her eldest son, Tom, and is survived by her sons Tim and Mike, daughter Melissa, grandchildren Austin, Jarret, Nolan, and Jeremy, sister Beverly, as well as nieces and a nephew.

A funeral will be held at the Holy Trinity Orthodox Church on Wednesday at 10 am.