Funeral services for Dean Nelson, 76, of Aurelia, will be Tuesday, March 23, 2010, at 10:30 A.M., at the First Church of Christ in Cherokee with Pastor Tom Lewis officiating. Burial will be in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery, rural Aurelia. Visitation will be Monday from 2:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M., with the family present from 6:00 till 8:00. In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established.
Dean died Friday, March 19, 2010, at the Cherokee Regional Medical Center in Cherokee, Iowa.
Charles Dean Nelson was born November 23, 1933, the son of George and Elsie (Adamson) Nelson at Cherokee, Iowa. He graduated from the Aurelia High School in 1951. He attended Iowa State University for two years. Dean then served in the US Army for two years and then returned to Iowa State University for two more years, graduating in 1958 with his degree in Animal Husbandry. On August 9, 1958 Dean married Darlene Stief at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Cherokee. Dean worked for Rath Packing in Waterloo, IA, State Bank in Sycamore, IL, and Pillsbury Research Farm at Clinton, IA, until 1963 when they moved to Aurelia and began farming. Dean was a member of the First Church of Christ in Cherokee where he served as a church board member, and elder, and as a Sunday school teacher. He served as a Pitcher Township Trustee, was a member of the Grashoff-McManus American Legion Post #390 of Aurelia, and was on boards for Midwest Christian Children’s Home and Farmers Co-op in Aurelia. Dean was an avid Iowa State fan, and enjoyed following his children and grandchildren in all activities.
Preceding Dean in death were his parents, one brother, Ron Nelson, his twin sister, Deon Colby, and one nephew, Greg Nelson.
Survivors include his wife Darlene Nelson of Aurelia, six children; Kirk and his wife Marcia Nelson of Aurelia and their children Kati and fiancé Jared Knock and Tyler and Kale Nelson, Jill and her husband Troy Lee of Des Moines and their children Courtney and Hunter Lee, Sue and her husband Dave Schmeling of San Diego, CA, and their children Emily, Taylor, and Abby Schmeling, Joni and her husband Jason Hawk of Sheridan, MO, and their children Garrett, Morgan, and Madison Hawk, Kyle and his wife Jil Nelson of Pella, IA, and their children Regan, Trevor, Ben and Grant Nelson, and Kent and his wife Marcy Nelson of Spencer, IA, and their children Lyndsay, Brenna, Sadie, and Averie Nelson. Also surviving are one brother Sherm and his wife Joanne Nelson of Aurelia, sister-in-law Betty Nelson of Cherokee, two brothers-in-law, Dave and Kay Colby of Silverbay, MN, and Chuck and Verda Stief of Ankeny, IA, and two sisters-in-law, Helen Brehmer of Stephenville, TX, and Shirley Walker of Waverly, IA, and many nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends.