Nellie M. Laine (Kimball), 98, died peacefully Aug. 6 at the Royal Cape Cod Nursing Home in Bourne where she had resided for a number of years. She was the wife of the late J. Edward Laine to whom she had been married for 55 years.

Nellie was born and raised in New Bedford and attended public schools there. She was the daughter of Lillie Kimball (Ivey). Her father died in France in World War I the month before she was born.

Known as Kimmy to her friends, Nellie developed what was to be a lifelong interest in needlecraft in elementary school. She graduated from New Bedford High School in 1936. After graduation she developed her skills in needlecraft through formal classes. Later in life, after her children were born, she taught those skills with the Plymouth County Extension Service and Wareham High School Night School.

Nellie developed an interest in nursing after high school and graduated from the Robert Beck Brigham Hospital Nursing Program in Boston just before the outbreak of World War II. She enlisted in the Navy and served as a nurse at Bethesda Naval Hospital until the end of the war. Nellie remained proud of her service and that she was a Navy veteran throughout her life. She is a past commander of the American Legion Post 220 auxiliary in Wareham.

After the war, Nellie was a private duty nurse, serving in the obstetrics ward at Tobey Hospital and in the offices of private physicians in Wareham. Caring for other people was a strong characteristic of Nellie.

Nellie and her husband Eddie raised three children in Wareham. At one point they owned and operated the Wareham Laundromat. Pursuing her interest in needlecraft after her nursing career, Nellie owned and operated the Pinafore Needlecraft Shop where she particularly enjoyed instructing folks in knitting, embroidery, crocheting and other sewing skills. Her children and grandchildren were the grateful recipients of many truly lovely hand knitted items. Nellie took to joy in crafting those special gifts.

Nellie supported her children’s activities as a Cub Scout den mother, and PTA room mother while engaging them in music, dance, sports, school and church activities. Most importantly she raised them with a sense of respect for other people regardless of their backgrounds. Kindness and courtesy were mainstays of their upbringing as were the values of honesty and trustworthiness. These values were communicated by Nellie and Eddie consistently throughout their lives.

A sports fan, Nellie supported the New York Giants football team for whatever reason. She also enjoyed the winter Olympics, especially figure skating. The Boston Celtics were cheered on without wavering regardless of the win-loss record. Nellie also enjoyed reading both fiction and nonfiction of quite a variety.

Nellie had a sense of humor and courtesy towards others that remained part of her even as dementia overtook her. As her memory declined she enjoyed the changing colors of the sky at sunset and watching the squirrels play in the trees outside her windows. She enjoyed interacting with caregivers. Nellie's compliments, humor and kind requests remained until the end of her life. The love and kindness given to Nellie by the extraordinary, compassionate people caring for her eased and made peaceful her passage from this world. They truly made her part of their family. She will be missed.

Nellie is survived by her sons and their wives, Dr. Richard A. Laine and Karen Palmer-Laine of Marion, Thomas E. and Lynda Laine of Spencer, and her daughter and husband Janet E. Laine and John M. Amaral of Rochester. She leaves eight grandchildren and four great grandchildren as well. Her brothers Everett, Ernest and Clinton Kimball, her sister Mary McMullen (Kimball) and beloved nephew Jack Kimball predeceased her.

Her funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Aug. 9, in the Wareham Village Funeral Home, 5 Center St., Wareham. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. Visitation with the family will be from 10 to 11 a.m. prior to the service. Burial will follow in Centre Cemetery Wareham. Memorial gifts may be made to the Salvation Army, www.salvationarmyusa.org.

To leave a message of condolence for the family, visit www.warehamvillagefuneralhome.com.