Emily Nelson Wittwer was formed by family, religion, music, education, and quiet service. She was Russell M. Nelson and Dantzel White Nelson’s sixth child, born in Salt Lake City on January 15, 1958. Her father became a heart surgeon and eventually an apostle and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her mother raised 10 children and promoted music, learning, and religion.
Emily died at home in Murray, Utah, on January 29, 1995. She was 37 and had metastatic cancer. Her death left her husband, five small children, parents, siblings, and many relatives and friends. She is interred at Millcreek’s Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park.
The public portrayal of Emily shows someone whose impact was not predicated on fame or recognition. It expanded via educating, parenting, worshipping, performing, and assisting others. Her life illuminated a family with strong personalities and public duties.
Childhood in the Nelson Family
Emily had nine siblings in Salt Lake City. Family relationships dominated the Nelson household, which was large and lively. Home music and education were valued. Through reunions and Dantzel Nelson’s weekly Nelson News email, the family stayed connected.
Emily attended Salt Lake City East High. She joined East High Dance Company as a child, exhibiting an early passion in performance and movement. Her artistic abilities were varied. She sung and danced in various contexts, mixing discipline and expression.
Her parents had complimentary yet differing influences. Russell Nelson demonstrated medical, academic, and professional devotion. Dantzel demonstrated homemaking, music, hospitality, and spirituality. Emily inherited and developed these traits.
Education and Musical Accomplishments
Emily attended Brigham Young University and graduated in April 1980. Her education included a semester abroad based in Vienna, Austria. The experience would have given her opportunities to encounter European art, history, music, and culture while developing independence and confidence.
Emily sung with Viva Voce and Theatre Ballet at BYU!a university vocal group. She appeared in Promised Valley Playhouse’s A Christmas Carol. These shows a person who enjoys practice and performance, contributing to an ensemble while bringing her own vitality to the stage.
She was a talented instructor and musician. Public reports do not detail her teaching positions or professional work, although teaching was certainly part of her identity. Whether teaching students, children, congregation members, or her own family, she seemed to approach instruction with care.
Marriage and Family Life
On May 14, 1980, Emily married Bradley Earl Wittwer in the Salt Lake Temple. Their marriage became the foundation of a family life in Murray, Utah. Together they raised five children:
| Child | Relationship |
|---|---|
| Wendy Wittwer | Daughter |
| William Marion Wittwer | Son |
| Nelson Bradley Wittwer | Son |
| Preston Haycock Wittwer | Son |
| Jordan White Wittwer | Son |
The children were young when Emily died. Her role as a mother was central to the way family members and contemporaries remembered her. She was described as loving, devoted, and deeply concerned with the welfare of her children.
Her marriage to Bradley also has strong religious value. Emily and Bradley routinely visited the temple in addition to religious duty. It was a mark of their devotion to one another and to their family. Their common faith offered structure to their home and became especially crucial throughout Emily’s sickness.
Church Service and Personal Faith
Emily served in several Church callings, including Primary teacher and chorister, Young Women president, and Relief Society leader. These roles required patience, organization, emotional sensitivity, and a willingness to serve without seeking attention.
Her faith was expressed through ordinary acts. She taught children, encouraged youth, supported women in her congregation, and participated in worship through music. Her religious life was not separate from her family life. The two were woven together like threads in the same fabric.
Emily was recognised for her spirituality during her sickness. Later, her father said she suffered greatly without anger. She reportedly told worried people, “Don’t worry, I’ll be OK!She closed calls with “I love you!”instead of a firm goodbye.
These details offer a glimpse of her emotional strength. They do not suggest that she felt no pain or fear. Rather, they suggest that love remained stronger than despair in the way she spoke to others.
Her Parents Russell and Dantzel Nelson
Russell M. Nelson was born on September 9, 1924, in Salt Lake City. He became a prominent heart surgeon, was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1984, and later served as president of the Church from 2018 until 2025. Emily was one of his ten children with Dantzel.
Russell talked publicly about Emily’s death in his April 1995 General Conference presentation, “Children of the Covenant.” He linked Emily’s faith and death to Howard W. Hunter’s cancer death weeks earlier. Russell said both kept holy agreements and faced death without resentment.
Dantzel White Nelson was born February 17, 1926. Former Mormon Tabernacle Choir member and mother of ten. Managing a large family took energy, but Dantzel supported music and family bonding. Emily’s death was one of her hardest experiences.
Emily’s Siblings
Emily’s siblings included nine sisters and one brother. Their names and married names include Marsha N. McKellar, Wendy N. Maxfield, Gloria N. Irion, Brenda N. Miles, Sylvia N. Webster, Laurie N. Marsh, Rosalie N. Ringwood, Marjorie N. Helsten, and Russell M. Nelson Jr.
Siblings had different paths, but family was vital. They met often, swapped news, and continued their parents’ customs. Emily’s death shook the whole family because she was a daughter, sister, and mother to five little children.
Her sister Wendy later died in 2019. The loss of two daughters became part of the later public story of Russell Nelson’s family. Even so, Emily should not be remembered only as one of several tragedies. She had her own personality, talents, relationships, and accomplishments.
The Nelson Extended Family
Emily’s paternal grandparents were Marion C. Nelson and Edna Anderson Nelson. Marion was a business and civic leader in the Intermountain West. Edna was connected with music and served as a guest soprano soloist with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Emily’s paternal aunts included Marjory Edna Nelson Rohlfing and Enid Fay Nelson DeBirk. Marjory studied music and English education at the University of Utah and remained active in music and Church life. Enid was an honors graduate in secondary education and also maintained strong family ties.
On the Wittwer side, Emily’s in laws included Audrey Haycock and Marion S. Wittwer. Her husband’s extended family, including his grandmother Wandamere Haycock, was also named among the relatives connected with her life and funeral.
Russell Nelson’s 1995 Conference Tribute
In “Children of the Covenant,” Russell used Emily’s death as part of a broader reflection on faith, family, and eternal promises. He wrote about the comfort he and Dantzel found in the belief that sacred covenants link families across generations.
He recalled Emily and Bradley’s temple attendance and her attempt to imitate Jesus Christ. Even a doctor and father cannot prevent every death, he said. In his words, Jesus Christ has the power to resurrect at the Lord’s time.
The address made mourning a spiritual identity meditation. Russell taught that covenant children may overcome sin, fear, and despair. Emily contributed to that teaching as a cherished daughter, wife, mother, and believer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Emily Nelson Wittwer?
Emily Nelson Wittwer was the daughter of Russell M. Nelson and Dantzel White Nelson. She was a teacher, musician, wife, mother, and active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.
When was Emily Nelson Wittwer born?
She was born on January 15, 1958, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Whom did Emily Nelson Wittwer marry?
She married Bradley Earl Wittwer in the Salt Lake Temple on May 14, 1980.
How many children did Emily and Bradley Wittwer have?
They had five children: Wendy, William Marion, Nelson Bradley, Preston Haycock, and Jordan White.
Where did Emily Nelson Wittwer live?
She lived in the Salt Lake City and Murray, Utah, area. She and Bradley raised their family in Murray.
What were Emily’s artistic accomplishments?
She participated in the East High Dance Company, BYU Theater Ballet, and Viva Voce! She also sang and danced in the Promised Valley Playhouse production of A Christmas Carol.
What Church callings did Emily hold?
Her service included work as a Primary teacher and chorister, Young Women president, and Relief Society leader.
When did Emily Nelson Wittwer die?
She died on January 29, 1995, at age 37, from metastatic cancer.
Where was Emily buried?
She was buried at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park in Millcreek, Utah.
Why did Russell Nelson speak about Emily in 1995?
He referred to her in his April 1995 General Conference address “Children of the Covenant.” He used her faith, suffering, and temple centered family life to discuss the comfort of religious covenants and the hope of eternal family relationships.
