Nelson, who suffered from emphysema, died Sunday of congestive heart failure at her home in Laguna Beach, said family friend Joe Sutton. She had been hospitalized for several weeks but was released Friday at her request.
For 14 years, 1952 to 1966, Mrs. Nelson was television's model housewife and mother, portraying the drama of domestic life with her real-life husband, Ozzie, and their sons David and Ricky.
With Ozzie as the chief producer, director and writer, the show featured gentle humor often loosely based on the Nelsons' real experiences.
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