Valonda M. Nelson

Valonda M. Nelson, the daughter of Chris and Mary (Christensen) Johnson was born September 25, 1925, at her parents’ home farm northwest of Exira, Iowa and died Saturday, August 26, 2017, at the age of 91 years, 11 months, and 1 day.
Valonda was baptized on November 15, 1925, at St. John’s Church, west of Exira, and confirmed in the Exira Lutheran Church in 1939. She attended Hamlin #8, a one room country school, through 8th grade and graduated from the Exira High School in 1943.
On July 15, 1945, Valonda was united in marriage to Edward Nelson at the Exira Lutheran Church in Exira. Ed and Valonda lived and worked on the family farm, where she was born, for 54 years. Valonda was very active on the farm helping planting crops, milking cows, and doing hog and chicken chores. She had an egg route for over 25 years. Valonda enjoyed gardening, canning and freezing various fruits and vegetables. In 2001, they retired from farming and moved into a nice home in Exira. She then briefly worked at the Exira Care Center.
Valonda was a member of the Exira Lutheran Church where she was on the Altar Guild for 20 years and belonged to the Rebecca Circle. Valonda was known for her beautiful handwork. She crocheted tablecloths and large doilies and knitted many afghans and sweaters. Valonda frequently invited family and friends for “coffee time,” which featured coffee and sweets in the morning, and sandwiches in the afternoon. She took many lunches to the field when Ed was doing fieldwork. Family members and neighbors enjoyed many birthday celebrations in their home.
Valonda was preceded in death by her husband of over 70 years Edward C. Nelson in April of 2016; her parents; her sister Ethel and husband Leo Kragelund; her niece, Felistis Colleen Benson; her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Bob (Louise) Nelson, Maggie (Robert) Pierson, Mike (Ida) Nelson, John Nelson, Victor (Cathalene) Nelson, and Ed’s sisters Emma who passed away at age 11 and two who died in infancy.
Survivors include her great-nieces Jill (Trent) Henson and Sarah (Gabriel) Aguilar and their children, Nathan, Alexis and Joshua, Liam and Lucas, all of Houston, Texas; her nieces and nephews Dennis (Jolene) Nelson of Atlantic, Iowa, Douglas (Janet) Nelson of Griswold, Iowa, Barbara Devereaux of Wichita, Kansas, Jolene (Vince) Anderson of Omaha, Nebraska, Diana Marquess, Kansas City, Missouri; her faithful dog, Mitzy; many other relatives and friends.
The family will meet with friends Saturday afternoon, September 9, 2017 from 1:00 p.m. until the time of the service at the Exira Lutheran Church in Exira, Iowa. Funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Steven Frock on Saturday afternoon September 9, 2017, at 2:00 PM at the Exira Lutheran Church. Interment will be in the Exira Cemetery in Exira. The honorary casket bearers will be Lyle Drees and P.J. Osvald. The casket bearers will be Rod Harris, Jerry Kelly, John Osvald, Gail Petersen, Dennis Nelson, and Douglas Nelson.