Mary Jane Nelson

SACATON - Mary Jane Nelson, 86, of Sacaton died on Dec. 10, 2015, at Chandler Regional Medical Center.

The wake will begin at 6 p.m. Thursday at the District 4 Service Center. The funeral will be at 9 a.m. Friday at First Presbyterian Church in Sacaton, with the Rev. Loretta Blackwater officiating. Burial will be in East Upper Santan Cemetery.

Mrs. Nelson was born on May 12, 1929, in Sacaton and was a daughter of Edison Evans and Sophia L. Mendosa. She was a nursing assistant and retired after 20 years at the Sacaton hospital. A member of First Presbyterian Church, she loved spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren. She enjoyed crocheting and dancing.


Survivors include three daughters, Sharon White of Chandler, Sylvia Antone of Blackwater and Pamela Lewis of Sacaton; five sons, Gerard K. Eschief of Sacaton, Lancelot Lewis of Chandler, Barnaby Lewis of Blackwater, Verigan Lewis of Santan and Ronald Eschief of Maricopa; a stepson, Milton Nelson of Casa Blanca; two sisters, Vermelia Johnson of Santan and Alta M. Hymer of Stotonic; a stepsister, Phyllis Antone of Stotonic; a brother, Harold Evans of Stotonic; 11 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dennis Nelson; a son, Gardner Lewis; a daughter, Geraldine Eschief; three sisters, Lenora Juan, Joyce Armstrong and Helen Evans; two brothers, Frankenberg and Gregory Cooper; and three grandchildren, Alison and Brian Lewis and Danielle Antone.

J. Warren Funeral Services, Cole & Maud The Gardens Chapel is in charge of arrangements.