Hilda Chester

Hilda Kathrine Nielsen was born February 17, 1925, in Exira, Iowa, the daughter of Marius and Louise Marie (Nielsen) Nielsen and passed away July 5, 2012, at Atlantic Nursing and Rehab Center in Atlantic, Iowa.

Her family lived on a farm near Exira until her father passed away. They then moved into Exira, where she graduated from the Exira High School in 1943 Hilda married Lawrence Chester (formerly of the Massena area) on January 27, 1951, in Hiawatha, Kansas. They made their home in Atlantic. Through the years, Hilda was employed at Montgomery Ward and Norwest Bank.

Hilda was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Atlantic. She had a great love for her country and was a proud member of the VFW Auxiliary, Royal Neighbors of America, the Atlantic Hospital Auxiliary and the "Rough-N-It" camping club. She had a passion for genealogy, photo albums and scrapbooks, oil painting, and making quilts for her family.

Hilda was preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence Chester; her parents, Marius and Louise Nielsen; and her seven siblings, Holger, Andrew, Albert, Arnold, Leona, Lily and Olga.

She is survived by her children, Judy (Larry) DeBord and John (Mary) Chester all of Atlantic; her grandchildren, Stephanie (Ben) Trannel of Wes Des Moines, Shane (Tammy) DeBord of Atlantic, Stacie (Eric) Euken of Wiota, Scott DeBord of Omaha, Chris Droll of Atlantic, Jeen Lee McAlpin of Exira and Meagan (Anthony) Dillion of Atlantic; her great-grandchildren, Luke, Ella and Noah Trannel ,Valerie Watson, Catherine DeBord, Katelin, Hunter and Crew McAlpin and Deagan Dillon; a sister-in-law, Larene Schaffer of Des Moines, her dog, Lucky; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

A graveside service will be held Monday, July 9, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. at the Atlantic Cemetery. Visitation, with lunch being served, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Atlantic, will follow the graveside service.

Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic, IA, is in charge of arrangements.