Notes from Lila Gull Nelson's Funeral
By Granddaughter Bonnie Ruefenacht
September 16, 1996
Lila was born to Angus Leonard Gull and Dora Stewart. When her younger sister Shirley
was born, they were living on a farm with a fruit orchard. They used to sell the fruit by the
roadside. After Lila graduated from high school, she moved to Ogden to attend Beautician
School. She lived with another family in Ogden, but often came home to Willard to visit her
family. When she was dating Wallis Baird Nelson, her future husband, Baird would play Chinese
Checkers with Shirley while he waited for Lila to get ready for their date. Baird would always
beat Shirley. A few times he let her win. After Baird and Lila got married, they lived in an
apartment in Willard. They eventually moved to Moab where Baird worked for the Geological
Survey for Underground Water as a Civil Engineer. When Carol, their first child was born, Dora
and Shirley were living in Willard, but they came to Salt Lake where Lila and Baird were living to
help Lila with her pregnancy. Dora and Shirley eventually moved to Salt Lake to be closer to
Lila. Dora and Lila always lived close by. Lila took care of Dora in her old age. Dora even died
in Lila's house ten years before Lila passed away. Lila enjoyed gardening, quilting, traveling,
doing people's hair, and genealogy. Whenever she was doing genealogy, she often forgot lost
herself in the work and forgot about personal worries. She also loved a good hamburger. Lila
always tried to do the right thing. It was hard for her after Baird's sudden death, but she stayed
active in the church and in life.