JAMES A. NELSON

Memorial services for James A. Nelson, 84, of Aurelia, will be 10:30 A.M. Friday, July 10, 2015, at the First United Methodist Church in Aurelia, with Pastor Tom Petersen officiating. Inurnment will be in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery, rural Aurelia Iowa. Visitation will be Thursday from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. at the church. The Redig Funeral Home in Aurelia is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established.
James Alan Nelson was born September 8, 1930, at Aurelia, Iowa, the only child of Harold Verner and Lela Irene (Johnson) Nelson. He graduated from the Aurelia High School in 1948, and then attended Buena Vista College in Storm Lake for one year. Jim entered the United States Air Force on November 7, 1951, in Sioux City, IA, and was discharged on November 7, 1955, at George Air Force Base in California.
On June 17, 1956, Jim married DeAnna Rae Regina Goettsch at the Methodist Church in Holstein, IA. He was a farmer, a dealer for Northrup King Seeds, and was owner/operator of Special Windings. Jim was a member of the Aurelia First United Methodist Church, in his youth he attained the level of Eagle Scout and was a Scout Master for several years, and obtained the Order of the Arrow, was a member of the Grashoff-McManus American Legion Post #390 of Aurelia, Toast Masters, Red Power, the Air Force Association, the Experimental Aircraft Association, and International Harvester Collectors Iowa Chapter #5. He enjoyed his family, photography, model railroading, aviation, and steam and tractor shows.
Jim died Tuesday, July 7, 2015, at the Sunset Knoll Care & Rehab Center in Aurelia, IA.
Preceding Jim in death were his parents, Harold and Lela Nelson.
Survivors include his wife, DeAnna of Aurelia, four children; JoLynn and her husband Duane Heschke of Aurelia, Mark Nelson and Valerie Tilghman of Kennesaw, GA, Bruce Nelson and Lynn Cunningham of Des Moines, IA, and Steven and his wife Betty Nelson of Aurelia. Also surviving are nine grandchildren; Kris and husband Luke Fleener, Kelly and husband Jeff Price, Kathy and husband Michael Leach, Bradley Nelson, Abigale Nelson, Lindsay Nelson, Audrey Nelson, Grant Nelson, and Amber Martin, four great-grandchildren; Jayleen and Kaycee Leach, Nash Price, and Sabrina Fleener, one brother-in-law, Kenneth Goettsch of Seal Beach , CA, nieces, nephews, cousins, and many friends.