Miss Kallie Suzanne Nelson

With hearts that will never be the same, we share the passing of Kallie Suzanne Nelson, forever 16, on February 15, 2026. Kallie was everything you could ever hope for in a daughter, sister, cousin, friend, and granddaughter. She was unapologetically Kallie. Brave. Confident. Strong-willed in the best way. She walked into a room, and it felt different because she was in it. Gane always called Kallie her “bright spot,” and that’s exactly what she was. Kallie had a light about her that you just couldn’t miss, one that lit entire rooms. Kallie had a sense of humor that was sharp, sarcastic, and completely her own. Nowhere was it more alive than in her relationship with her sister, Kennedy Jane. From the day they met, they were best friends and shared a bond that could not be broken. Kallie admired KJ in the truest sense, believing most everything she said, hanging on most of her words, and looking at her with the kind of awe, mixed with just a little judgment, that only a little sister can manage. And KJ, being KJ, knew exactly how to use that. No matter how obvious the bait — and it was always obvious — Kallie took it every time. Truth be told, KJ would set it up again and again just to hear her sister laugh. She loved the stage at Bay Area Performing Arts and came alive under the lights. There was something about performing that fit her perfectly. She was fierce when it came to the people she loved and the things she believed in. If you were in her circle, you knew it. She was loyal, protective, and the kind of friend who would tell you the truth but sit with you through anything. She was a confidant, a safe place, and a steady presence for so many. Kallie also loved the everyday joys of life. Shopping was always a good idea and much more fun when she was spending someone else’s money. She had strong opinions and great taste. And she never met a steak she didn’t like. Kallie faced significant medical challenges throughout her life. She handled them with a bravery and courage that most adults would struggle to find. Even so, she longed to feel “normal.” That desire never took away from her strength. If anything, it showed just how deeply she wanted to live fully and freely like any other teenager. She fought with the unwavering support of her family and friends, carrying herself with a grace beyond her years. We find peace in imagining the moment she arrived in heaven, met at the gates by her beloved Gane, with Grandpa Randy also waiting for her, and all those who went before her. We picture them welcoming her with open arms and every sweet treat, carb, and loaded coffee her heart could want, celebrating the bright light they were receiving. Kallie is survived by her mother and stepfather, Kati Hartselle Watkins and Harold Watkins, and by her father and stepmother, Scot and Emily Nelson. She leaves behind her sister, Kennedy Jane Nelson, her brother, Mitchell Nelson, his wife, Alexis, and their children, Beau, Riley, and Trevor, and her brother, Rhett Watkins. She is also survived by her grandparents, David and Phyllis Hartselle; Karen Nelson; Rose Wolff; Kendall and Louise Jeanminette; and Elaine Watkins; her uncle and aunt, Jason and Ali Close, and their children, Sanders and Lawson Reid; her aunt, Erin Nelson-Bakkum, her husband, Matt, and their daughter, Simone; her aunt, Megan Eckel, her husband, Gabe, and their children, Rowan and William; her aunt, Chloe Jeanminette; her step-aunt, Amy Sykes; her godfather, Ryan Reid; and her godmother, Ali Close. She was preceded in death by Jane Trammell Hartselle, better known as Gane, and Randall Nelson, better known as Grandpa Randy. There will be a Celebration of Life Ceremony on Saturday, February 28, 2026, at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Mobile, Alabama. Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., with the service beginning at 1:00 p.m. Forever 16 is far too short, but the impact Kallie made will last far longer. Her light, her loyalty, her laughter, and her fierce love will stay with us always. About SUDEP Kallie passed from Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy, known as SUDEP. SUDEP is the sudden and unexplained death of a person with epilepsy, often occurring during or after a seizure, when no other cause is found. It is a rare but devastating complication of epilepsy and is not yet fully understood. To learn more about SUDEP and epilepsy awareness, please visit https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/early-death-and-sudep/sudep In honoring Kallie, we also hope to help raise awareness and encourage education about SUDEP.

Miss Kallie Suzanne Nelson

May 26, 2009 - February 15, 2026