Edwin Nelson

E.C. "Jiggs" Nelson, 76, of Atlantic, Iowa, passed away Tuesday morning, January 15, 2008, at the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic.

Edwin Carl Nelson was born March 14, 1931, on the family farm near Avoca, Iowa, the fifth child of Carl O. and Alma H (Maassen) Nelson.

He grew up in the Avoca area and attended area country schools and the Avoca High School.

After high school, Jiggs began working for the railroad. He continued to work there until his marriage to Beverly A. McMurphy. They married on April 11, 1958, at the original St. Paul's Lutheran Church on Walnut Street in Atlantic. He then started working for Beverly's father at the Bernard McMurphy Sod Company in Atlantic. Jiggs eventually purchased the business and took over the operation of the company until it was sold in 1981.

From 1985 until 2001, he worked as a truck driver for the Henningsen Construction Company in Atlantic.

Jiggs was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Avoca and confirmed at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Atlantic, where he remained a member for the rest of his life.

Jiggs was an avid sports fan and enjoyed NASCAR, wrestling, football and all sporting events. He was the biggest Nebraska Football fan that "wasn't a fan". He was especially proud of his three boys and their outstanding football playing and skills. Also, Jiggs had a strong work ethic, which he passed on to his children.

He dearly loved his grandchildren and picked them up from school every day. Jiggs also loved to bake cookies and pies with his grandchildren and was especially known for his excellent custard pies. Jiggs was also quite a prankster with his family and friends, who were all prepared to be recipients of his pranks.

He is survived by his wife, Beverly Nelson of Atlantic, Iowa; his two daughters, Susan Brownlee and her husband, Dean of Atlantic, Iowa and Sandra Crecelius and her husband, Kurt of Atlantic, Iowa; his three sons, Max Nelson of Kansas City, Missouri, David Nelson and his fiancé, Susie of Atlantic, Iowa and Bernard Nelson of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida; 13 grandchildren, Amy Brownlee, Nathan Brownlee and his wife, Sarah, Scott Brownlee, Adam, Lindsey, Bret, Aaron, Daniel and Jon Nelson, Tammy and Kasey Johnson and Jeremy and Autumn Crecelius; four great-grandchildren, Domanic Mullens, Joshua, Ashlyn and Kamron Brownlee; a brother, LaVerne Nelson and his wife, Judy of Boise, Idaho; a sister, Helen Nielsen of Walnut, Iowa, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Jiggs was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Alma Nelson; two brothers, Clifford and Donald Nelson and two sisters, Annabell Nelson and Evelyn Lippold.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 Friday, January 18, 2008, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Atlantic with the Reverends Dennis and Sally Meyer officiating.

Public visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m., Thursday, with the family present from 6:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Thursday evening at Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic.

Committal services and interment will be in the Atlantic Cemetery followed by a fellowship and luncheon at St. Paul's Church.

Hockenberry Family Care is handling the arrangements.