Lena Mae Williams was born July 14, 1935 to Lewis H. and Louise B. (Kruger) Williams at Grand Junction, CO.  At age 3 Lena moved with her family to St. Paul, MN and then a few years later to Rapid City, SD where she grew up.

Lena attended Wilson Elementary School in Rapid City, SD, and graduated from Rapid City High School in 1953.  She began her college work at Sioux Falls College, now the University of Sioux Falls (USF).  On June 19, 1955 Lena married Merle F. Woodden and they continued their education at Central Baptist Theological Seminary.  Merle was awarded a Ministerial Degree in 1963 and Lena graduated with a special degree.  They made their home in Burke, SD where Merle pastored the Burke-Lucas Baptist Parish.  He was killed in an airplane accident in 1966.  Lena and the children moved back to Sioux Falls where she completed her work at USF, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education, minoring in Psychology and German.  She then accepted a 4th grade teaching position in Gregory, SD.  Lena considered it a great honor to help shape the hearts and minds of her students.

In 1977 Lena married G. Wesley Nelson of Lucas, SD.  They made their home on the family farm; Wesley was a Vice President of the First Fidelity Bank in Burke.  Upon retirement, they sold the farm and moved to Missouri to be near one of their daughters.

Lena became a Christian age 10, being baptized in the First Baptist Church of Rapid City, SD. She began playing the piano and organ at church in 1947, becoming the church organist at age 16.  She continued to share her musical talents at USF, her churches and her communities for 56 years.  Lena was active in local, regional, and national American Baptist organizations where she served as State President of the South Dakota American Baptist Women's Ministries, represented North and South Dakota on the General Board of American Baptist Churches USA, and was President of the Board of National Ministries of ABCUSA.  She was also founder of the National Day of Prayer in SD and earned many awards in various organizations.  Besides being a church musician, Lena served as a member of the Diaconate Board, a Sunday School and VBS teacher.  In Missouri at the First Baptist Church of Lee's Summit she served as an usher, a Mission Team member, and a Bible Study leader.  Lena has also been a free-lance writer, publishing devotional booklets and programs for church women.  Besides Bible study and prayer, Lena enjoyed gardening, crafting, music, and reading.  But most of all, she loved to spend time with her children and grandchildren, even though they were scattered all across the country.

Lena is preceded in death by her first husband, the Rev. Merle Woodden; her son, Steve Woodden; her daughter, Linda Johnston; her grandsons, JonathanWoodden and Eric Woodden; her parents, Lewis and Louise Williams; her brother, Erwin Williams; her grandparents; her brother-in-law, Jack Wilson; and her father-and mother-in-law, Roy and Clara Woodden.

Surviving Lena by TWO DAYS, was her husband, Wesley.  It was his love and devotion and dry sense of humor that made sure Lena was in Heaven before he would join her.  Also surviving Lena is her son, Kenn Woodden; her daughter, Amy; 2 daughters-in-law, Sally and Sheila, and 2 sons-in-law, Neil and Steve; 12 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren, her sister, Mary Wilson of Piedmont, SD; her sister-in-law, Barb (Scott) Stokes of San Rafael, CA, and many other precious relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday , December 22, 2018 at 10:00 AM at the Lucas Baptist Church in Lucas.  Burial will be in the Lucas Cemetery, Lucas.  Visitation will be Friday from 6:00 - 7:00 PM, with a 7 PM prayer service, at the church.