Eleanor Nelson, a pioneering music educator and beloved community volunteer who shared her passion for music, family and service for more than seven decades in Princeton, died peacefully at her home in the early morning hours of May 31. She was 97.

Born in 1927 in Perth Amboy, Nelson was raised by her mother, Rose, after the death of her father when she was just 3 1/2. With the support of extended family, friends, and neighbors, her family persevered through the Great Depression.

Nelson’s musical talent led her to study at Trenton State Teachers College. Again aided by her community, she completed her education and graduated with a job offer to teach at Valley Road School in Princeton, becoming the township’s first music teacher.

She moved to Princeton in 1949 and quickly developed a following of private piano students alongside her public school duties. She became a member of the Princeton Music Study Group, a circle of musicians who met in each other’s homes to perform. She fondly recalled hearing Albert Einstein perform a violin and piano duet at one of these gatherings.

Nelson later married Bob Nelson, a Princeton native who had opened a glass shop on Nassau Street. Together, they raised four daughters, cared for her mother, and renovated rental properties in the borough.

She and her sister, Lucille Carnevale, co-founded The Fabric Shop on Chambers Street. Nelson also volunteered to teach sewing at Stuart Country Day School when her daughter began attending and the school needed help with extracurricular programs.

Her commitment to community extended through her work with the Lioness Club and the Soroptimist Club, both of which supported scholarships and local charities. With her husband, she co-founded the Alphorn Ski Association and traveled to the Alps more than 25 times.

Nelson’s deep faith guided her volunteer work at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Princeton, where she played piano at church events. She later joined the St. Vincent de Paul Society and the Senior Care Ministry, now Senior Care Services of Greater Princeton.

Later in life, she revived her musical talents for residents of local elder care facilities, performing songs from World War I and sharing melodies she had learned in childhood from her uncles.

She was also known for her love of gardening, baking, and spending time with her large and growing family, which includes 11 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

Nelson was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Rose McCracken; her sister and brother-in-law, Lucille and Tony Carnevale; and her husband of 58 years, Robert A. Nelson.

Survivors include her daughters and sons-in-law, Marguerite (Jay) Sarson, Nancy (George) Barna, Roberta (Roy Fennimore) Nelson and Kristin (A.R.) Willey; 11 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and several nieces, nephews and extended family members.

A visitation will be held Tuesday, June 3, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Ave., Princeton. A second visitation will take place Wednesday, June 4, at 9 a.m., followed by a 10 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, 216 Nassau St., Princeton. Burial will follow at Princeton Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Senior Care Services of Greater Princeton or the St Vincent DePaul Society.