Adelia “Dee” M. Nelson, of Oelwein, passed away on Saturday, December 3^rd, 2011 at Allen Memorial Hospital in Waterloo, Iowa.

            Visitation will be held from 3:00 – 7:00 pm on Tuesday, December 6^th at Geilenfeld Funeral Home in Oelwein.  Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Wednesday, December 7^th at Zion Lutheran Church in Oelwein with Pastor Leo Combs-Lay officiating.  Adelia will be laid to rest at Woodlawn Cemetery in Oelwein. 

Adelia “Dee” Marie Nelson was born on April 10, 1921 in Postville, Iowa, the daughter of William and Emma (Wiley) Nelson. Dee’s parents died early in her life and she was raised by a cousin (Charles Schweinefus). She grew up in Oelwein and graduated from Oelwein High School in 1939 and continued her education at Cook’s Secretarial School. After graduating from Cook’s she took a position with Rath Packing Co. in Waterloo and later was transferred to Washington D.C.  Later Dee moved back to Oelwein to care for her relatives and took a secretary position at Interstate Power Company. On June 11, 1950 she was united in marriage to Bernard Nelson at the Zion Lutheran Church in Oelwein. Shortly after their marriage Dee went to KOEL to work.

            Dee was very active in her church, Zion Lutheran Church, where she was Baptized and Confirmed. She was also very active in her community, Cub Scouts, PTA, Oelwein Senior Housing Board and Red Cross volunteer and a blood donor. Dee enjoyed playing bridge and Dee and Bernard earned lifetime memberships in the Duplicate Bridge Clubs in Cedar Falls and Waterloo. She loved to sew quilts, to can and bake. Dee baked all kinds of cakes (graduation, wedding, etc.)  and cookies of every variety. She will leave a big void in our community and we will all miss her very much.

            She is survived by her sons, Steve Nelson (special friend-April Osborn) of Denver, Colorado, Bill (Denise) Nelson of West Union, Iowa and Jim (Ruth) Nelson of Clinton, Iowa; ten grandchildren, Ben Nelson, Chris Nelson, Bill Nelson, Kerry Nelson, Chris Grocholski, Cassie (Donnie) Schear, Abigail Nelson, Andrew Nelson, Peter Nelson and Thomas Nelson; three great grandchildren, Spencer Bolson, Hannah Schear, and Hailey Schear and a special God daughter, Christina (Schmith) Tufty of Des Moines, Iowa. Dee was preceded in death by her husband, Bernard on October 28, 2007, several brothers and sisters, a daughter-in-law, Linda (Lytle) Nelson, her parents, William and Emma and her foster parents.