Mother, Wife, Daughter, Sister, Friend, Healer, Helper, Clinician, Teacher, Soul Adventurer, MEGAWoman, Meghan Rae Nelson, 49, of Sioux City, Iowa, united with God and in the arms of all her beloved in heaven on September 12, 2026.

Meghan was born in Sioux City, to Bob Nelson and Patty Redmond, but she lived her life of the world. Meghan was brilliant. She graduated from Bishop Heelan High School, the University of Iowa, and earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of South Dakota. Meghan was an AmeriCorps volunteer at the Panetta Institute, she studied abroad in Costa Rica, and lived in California, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Oregon, Alaska, and Kentucky, and traveled to and from a million miles in between. She met her husband, Ryan, at Nature’s Classroom on Ossipee Lake in a place called Freedom. They were married in a Rose Garden but blossomed wherever earth and sky and water and fire and space could merge. Meghan was a creator—her masterpiece, three beautiful children, Liam, Nolan, and Sawyer, who are the very best of her and shine with her most radiant beauty and magnificent light. Meghan was the best mom. She was an amazing chef, the loudest cheerleader, the most skilled barber. She could massage and mobilize anything that hurt, tease you while taping you, making you laugh hysterically and forget you were ever in agonizing pain in the first place. She launched a business, Lumin Therapy, to provide support and care for individuals, families, and organizations who are suffering or struggling to live their heartfelt missions, and she was a founder of the FIRE Foundation of Northwest Iowa, to support the inclusion of children with disabilities in Catholic schools. Meghan was a healer who served with care and kindness as a clinician and a yoga teacher and whose passion and purpose for helping others was nowhere more evident than with her patients and students at PT Specialists, Rock Valley Physical Therapy, Dakota Valley Schools, and Evolve Yoga. Her love of all living things extended to plants, displayed in her prolific gardening. Meghan was a Division I athlete, a published author, loved to sing and dance, and played in a band called Tickle Party. Meghan was the ultimate giver and volunteer, the first to show up to anyone in need. She was an advocate who supported Miracle League and Stars, Inc., with her energy and effort, time, talents and treasures.

She was our universe, and is, and forever shall be everything and everywhere, in eternal peace and infinite light, showing up in sun and song, in the smiles of her blessed children, shining alongside her Grandpa Swede, her matriarchs, Dorothy and Rachael, Kathy and MaryAnn, and her mom, Patty, and all her ancestors pouring down their protection and grace and glory on all of us who have been touched by our time with her. In addition to her husband and kids, Meghan is survived by her dad, Bob (Nancy), her brothers Lumpy (Amy), Zach (Lisa), Eric (Melissa), and Greg (Kendra), her sisters, Cat (David) and Sarah (Seth), and some of the most amazing nieces and nephews and uncles and aunts and cousins and extended family and friends a person can ask for, who will all need your love and support.

Meghan’s life is a lesson to all of us that the earth isn’t the only place a flower can bloom. Please join her family and friends to celebrate her life at Country Celebrations on Thursday, September 17th, with a rosary at 4:30pm and fellowship and Sneaky's Chicken (Meghan's favorite) to follow. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30am on Friday, September 18th, at Holy Cross Parish – St. Michael Catholic Church in Sioux City. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please direct your support to the family at GoFundMe or to the FIRE Foundation of Northwest Iowa, Miracle League, or Stars, Inc., or to any organization that advocates for those with special needs.