Erma Mary Nelson

Erma Mary Nelson: Mary passed away Monday evening at her home in University Park at the age of 90 years, 9 months and 8 days. Her family includes her husband of almost 65 years, Cecil Nelson of University Park; three daughters, Janice (Charles) Oswandel of University Park, Betty (Keith) McWilliams of rural Oskaloosa, and Mary Lou (Bob) Van Weelden of New Sharon; six grandchildren, seven great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Erma Mary Nelson, daughter of George and Emma Berto Katko, was born July 18, 1919 in rural Monroe County, near Eddyville, Iowa. She was a 1937 graduate of Eddyville High School and then taught rural grade school in the Eddyville area for several years. She moved to Aurora, Illinois during the WWII years and worked there as a machinist for 3-4 years. She married Cecil Edward Nelson at the German Lutheran Church in Ottumwa, May 20, 1945. They initially lived in California while Cecil served with the US Coast Guard, at that time Erma worked in the Benicia Arsenal. Following Cecil's discharge they returned to the Eddyville area where they farmed west of Eddyville on the Mahaska/Monroe county line. When they retired from farming they moved to University Park, where they have been residents for the past 15 years. In addition to helping her husband with the farming operation and raising their three daughters, Erma worked as a cook in the Eddyville High School and was later employed at Pella Corporation for 10 years. She and Cecil enjoyed traveling and spent one Christmas in Hawaii with their three daughters and their families. They also traveled in Canada, Mexico and much of the United States including Texas, New Orleans, New York and Colorado. She and Cecil attended many country music festivals and enjoyed the ""older"" style square dancing. She also enjoyed quilting and other types of handwork. She especially liked shelling and picking hickory nuts which she supplied to her friends at church. Erma was a member of the St. John Lutheran Church in Oskaloosa. Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by three brothers and a son-in-law. PDF Printable Version

Erma Mary Nelson

July 18, 1919 - April 26, 2010