Mrs. Nelson was born February 17, 1954 in Tampa, Florida. She was educated in Hillsborough County Public School System. She was a member of New Greater Friendship M.B. Church. She was preceded in death by her mother, Geraldine T. Rogers and brother, Lorenzo Rogers. She leaves to cherish her memories, her husband, Melvin Nelson; step children, Regina Spencer Nelson, Nivea Nelson and Octavia Tookes, all of Tampa; father, Luther Rogers, Sr.; brothers, Anthony Rogers and Luther Rogers, Jr. (Cassandra); sisters, Geraldine Loretta Toombs (James), Miriam Rogers and Deborah Johnson (Rufus); aunts, Dorothy Simmons (Charlie) of Lancaster, CA, Mae Bell Burton of Bakersfield, CA, Jewell Douglass of Riviera Beach, FL, Janice Screen of Seffner, FL, Elois Irving of New York and Louise Malone of Tampa, FL; uncles, Jerome Taylor (Inez) of Las Vegas, NV and Shelton Rogers (Inell); nieces, Ashley Russ, Kianna Russ, Alesia Wilson, Kenyatta Robertson and Carol James; nephews, Marvin Wright of Southfield, MI, Willie James and Ron James; brothers-in-law, Oscar D. Nelson, Herbert Nelson (Connie) of San Diego, CA, Carlton Nelson (Lavator), Wayne Nelson and Donnie Nelson of Hattiesburg, MS; sisters-in-law, Barbara J. Reese (Willie), Carroll Mitchell, Paulette Nelson, Atlanta, GA and Patricia A. Chaney (Maceo); and a host of other relatives, friends, special cousins, Brenda Watts and D'Neisha Simmons Jendayi.