Maxine L. Nelson

Maxine LuEtta (Aagaard) Nelson, the daughter of George and Marie (Mortensen) Aagaard, was born October 12, 1925, at her parents’ home southwest of Hamlin, Iowa and died March 5, 2019, at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll, Iowa at the age of 93 years, 4 months, and 13 days.
Maxine was baptized and confirmed at the Hamlin Lutheran Church in Hamlin, Iowa. She attended rural schools and the Audubon Community Schools then helped her parents operate the family farm.
On December 20, 1944, she was united in marriage to Richard Hansen Nelson at Maxine’s parents’ home east of Hamlin, Iowa, and they were blessed with five children: Roger, Shirley, Randy, Lori, and Jodi. Following Richard’s honorable discharge from the U.S. Army, they moved to Maxine’s parents’ farm near Hamlin. They grew row crops and raised livestock from 1947 until 1970. During this time Maxine helped Richard operate the farm and raised the children.
In 1971 they moved into Audubon, Iowa and Maxine continued her duties as a homemaker. Richard and Maxine later moved to the bed and breakfast where they enjoyed meeting their guests and treating them to Maxine’s delicious cinnamon rolls. Richard died on December 13, 2003. Maxine moved to Carroll, Iowa shortly after Richard’s death.
Maxine was a member of the Hamlin Lutheran Church in Hamlin, Iowa and was a member of the Pricilla Guild. She was a 4-H leader and a member of the Hamlin Rural Busy Bees neighborhood club. But her favorite activity was being “Grandma.”
Preceding her in death was her husband Richard H. Nelson; her parents; her half-brothers Glen Aagaard and Bob and wife Adryce Aagaard; her brothers-in-law and sister-in-law Don and wife Lois Nelson and Norman Meyer.
Survivors include her children Roger and wife Rosemary Nelson and Shirley and husband Greg Kirk all of Longwood, Florida, Randy and wife Cindy Nelson of Panora, Iowa, Lori and husband Keith Larsen of Blair, Nebraska, and Jodi and husband Dr. Tracey Wellendorf of Lake View, Iowa; her grandchildren: Bryan and wife Andrea Nelson, Brent Nelson, Brandon and wife Marla Nelson, Natalie Wright, John and wife Carrie Kiernan, Jackie and husband Bob Atkins, Scott and wife Kelley Kirk, Kelli Kirk, Shelbi and husband Aaron Barriage, Drs. Colby and wife Gigi Nelson, Torrey and wife Brittney Nelson, Joe Evans, Jake Larsen, Kiley Wellendorf and Benjamin Wellendorf; 23 great-grandchildren; her sisters-in-law Mildred Meyer of Exira, Iowa, Dee Aagaard of Coralville, Iowa: her brother-in-law Robert D. Nelson of Exira, Iowa; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.
The family will meet with friends on Saturday morning, March 9, 2019, from 9:00 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Audubon, Iowa. Funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Steven Frock, Pastor of the Hamlin Lutheran Church, on Saturday March 9, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Audubon, Interment will be in the Hamlin Lutheran Cemetery east of Hamlin, Iowa. The casket bearers will be her grandchildren: Shelbi Barriage, Joe Evans, Kelli Kirk, Scott Kirk, Jake Larsen, Brandon Nelson, Brent Nelson, Bryan Nelson, Colby Nelson, Torrey Nelson, Kiley Wellendorf, and Ben Wellendorf.