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   Avis Savre (Nelson), of Edina and Longville, Minnesota and Mesa, Arizona, passed away peacefully in her Edina home on October 28. Avis lived an amazing life spanning 95 years, 6 months and two days and then left us after a brief illness, tended by her husband of 72 years, Robert Savre, her four boys and their wives. 

   Avis Nelson was born on April 26, 1930 in rural Worth County, Iowa to Selmer and Doris (Nelson) Nelson. She and her older brother Leslie were raised on a farm outside of the town of Northwood.

   After graduating from Northwood High School she attended Waldorf College where she trained to be an elementary school teacher. She taught one year in Plymouth, Iowa before furthering her education at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa where she earned her degree and met the love of her life, Bob Savre.

Avis and Bob were married in July of 1953. She spent the next year teaching school in Duluth, MN while Bob entered the army.  She then joined him in El Paso, Texas where she taught second grade. After Bob left the service they followed his teaching career to Chatfield, Minnesota and also lived in North St. Paul briefly before moving to Edina in 1961. During this period Avis gave birth to four sons: Mike, Tom, Kent and Jim.

   In 1969 the Savres, along with four other Edina teaching families, bought a lake place on Mule Lake, outside of Longville, and formed the Narrows Lakeshore Association. Avis would spend the next 56 summers enjoying life at the cabin. Those years gave countless memories on Mule–from loon calls to sunset boat rides–and the families in the four surrounding cabins became her “Lake Family.”

   After retirement, Bob and Avis made their winter home at Silveridge RV Resort in Mesa, Arizona. She was involved in many activities including leading both water aerobics and the hiking club. Over the next few decades she would hike nearly every trail in the Phoenix area and all over Arizona from the top of the Flatiron to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

In addition to her teaching, Avis worked more than a dozen years as a health aide in the Edina school district. She was an active member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Minneapolis–where she once served as president of the congregation–before becoming a longtime member of Salem Lutheran in Longville. She was a Vikings fan and huge supporter of Edina sports–watching her sons compete and her husband coach. She enjoyed music, puzzles and was an excellent contract bridge player. Bob and Avis helped start a couples bridge club in the sixties, and every member became a dear lifelong friend.

   Remaining to cherish the memory of Avis are her husband of 72 years, Bob, along with her four sons and their wives: Mike and Jann (Bicket) of Brevard, NC, Tom and Megumi (Maeda) of Crystal, MN, Kent and Mary Beth (Falteisek) of Edina, and Jim and Jamie (Rudolph) of Hermantown, MN. Avis is also survived by her nephews J.D. (Deb) Nelson and Bob Nelson, both of Clear Lake, IA and Niece Ann (Tom) Weitzel of Blaine, MN; her seven grandchildren: Lisa Busche (Matthew) of Brevard, Kelsey Stinson (Matt) of Edina, Matthew Savre (Kari) of Woodbury, MN, Tim Savre (Hannah Ney) of Minneapolis, Britta Schmidt (Matt) of Blaine, AJ Savre of Hermantown, and Jackson Savre of St. Paul; and seven great-grandchildren: Cora and Lily Stinson, Rosie and Ernie Savre, and Noah, Micah and August Busche.

Avis was preceded in death by her parents, Selmer and Doris Nelson of Northwood and her brother and sister-in-law, Les and Ivene Nelson, of Clear Lake.

   A Funeral and Interment service will be held at Salem Lutheran Church, Longville, MN on Saturday, November 15  at 1:00, and a Celebration of Life will be held at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Minneapolis on Sunday, November 16 starting at 5:00. Friends and family of Avis are invited to attend one or both events.

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