Kathryn "Kit" Mary Nelson
August 28, 1943 – July 23, 2025

Kathryn "Kit" Mary Nelson, age 81, of Canton, Georgia, passed away peacefully on July 23, 2025. Born on August 28, 1943, in Trenton, New Jersey, she was the beloved daughter of John "Jack" Baldwin and Catherine Taylor Baldwin.

Kit spent much of her childhood in Homestead, Florida, where her love of nature and the ocean first took root. A certified scuba diver, she found joy in the underwater world and treasured her close encounters with manatees. Her lifelong appreciation for the natural world followed her wherever she went—whether watching owls, eagles, or the deer and their fawns near her home.

A passionate traveler, Kit accomplished the rare feat of visiting all 50 states. She also found joy in the simple pleasures of life, especially baking—a skill she lovingly passed down to her daughter Kassie.

Kit is survived by the love of her life and devoted husband, Leslie "Les" Nelson of Canton, GA; her children Katharine "Kassie" Anderson (Frank Bray) of Anchorage, Alaska, Leo James Hammer II of Port St. Lucie, Florida, and James Hammer (Tammy Corson) of Anchorage, Alaska

She was a proud grandmother to James Hammer II, Summer Hammer, Joshua Hammer, Richard James "RJ" May-Hammer, Ashlei West, Corey Anderson, Brandon Anderson, Christina Murphy, Michael Basargin, Cleonik Hammer, Keriakia Hammer, Kalisa Hammer, and a cherished great-grandmother to 17 great-grandchildren. She also leaves behind a host of nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends who loved her dearly.

She is preceded in death by her brothers Edward and John Baldwin II.

Kit's warmth, adventurous spirit, and deep love for her family and the natural world will be remembered always.