Donna Nelson

Mrs. Donna Marie Ruga Nelson, age 72, of Smyrna, Tennessee, passed away Tuesday, November 3, 2026. A beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and sister, Donna shared 47 years of marriage with her husband, Corliss.

Born in Mineola, New York, to the late Silas and Evelyn Gearns Ruga, Donna earned her LPN after high school before moving to Albuquerque to pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of New Mexico. There, she met her husband, Corliss, and built lifelong friendships with fellow nurses and musicians. Their early days as a family began there with the births of their daughters, Serena and Holly. When the family relocated to Nashville in 1986, Donna continued her nursing career, driven by a deep devotion to caring for others. She worked at Southern Hills Hospital and later Vanderbilt, spending many years in labor and delivery, and later in recovery, research, and women’s day surgery, helping patients through some of life’s most important and vulnerable moments.

Donna found great pleasure in growing and creating things. Carrying her love for southwestern culture to Nashville, she tended a vibrant garden of chili peppers and vegetables, becoming known among friends and family for her homemade salsa. In her later years, she explored pottery and watercolor painting through classes at the Smyrna Senior Center and always loved tending to her plants and flowers at home.

Through painful times along life’s journey—most significantly the loss of her daughter Holly in 2010—Donna remained steadfast in her faith. Her desire to care for others seemed only to grow. She loved spending time with her grandchildren and was proudly present as both a mother and a nurse for their births. Her friends and family, near and far, meant the world to her. She was also a devoted member of Smyrna First United Methodist Church and cared deeply for her Sunday School class and church family.

Donna’s memory will be cherished by her family and friends: her devoted husband, Corliss Nelson; her daughter, Serena Nelson and husband Adam Ruffin; and her beloved grandchildren, Henry and Ellis. She is also survived by her sister, Carol Jabir; her brother, Dennis Ruga; her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Greg and Pam Nelson; her niece, Sarah Mingle and her husband Damian, along with their children Georgia, Blythe, and Tessa; and her nephews, Ben Nelson and his wife Emily and their children Maya and Omri, Andrew Johnson and his children Halvor and Soren, and Peter Johnson, as well as many dear extended family members and lifelong friends.

In addition to her parents, Silas and Evelyn Ruga, Donna was preceded in death by her beloved daughter, Holly Nelson, and her brothers, Tommy Ruga and Kenneth Ruga.

Family and friends are invited to gather, share memories, and celebrate Donna’s life during visitation on Saturday, November 21, 2026, at 10am at Smyrna First United Methodist Church. A Celebration of Life will be held immediately afterward at 11am at the church.