Services for Marvin D. Nelson, 97, Wayne, will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in rural Wakefield. Burial with military rites will be in the parish cemetery in rural Wakefield.

Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Monday at the church.

Marvin Nelson died Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, at Providence Medical Center in Wayne.

Hasemann Funeral Home of Wayne is in charge of the arrangements.

Marvin Dale Nelson was born in his family’s farmhouse near Meadow Grove and was baptized and confirmed at Buffalo Creek Church in rural Meadow Grove. After completing first through 10th grade at Mount Hope, a two-room schoolhouse, he graduated from Meadow Grove High School in 1941 as the salutatorian. He attended Midland Lutheran College in Fremont on a scholarship for a year before his family moved to a farm northwest of Wayne. He then attended Wayne State College for a year.

Enlisting in the Naval Air Corps in 1943, Marvin trained in Iowa, Wyoming, California, Texas and culminated his military career in Pensacola, Fla. Commissioned ensign, he served as a flight instructor. One of the planes he flew was a twin-engine Beechcraft transport. He served for two and a half years. He once said, “What was really the hardest thing to do was to be flying along and do a spin and a barrel roll.” After his honorable discharge from the service, he worked at the Wayne Airport as an instructor.

On June 12, 1949, he married Bonnie Lessmann at Immanuel Lutheran Church northeast of Wayne. They started farming south of Laurel that same year. The first corn crop was planted with a two row planter, and the first oat crop was cut with a binder. Their livestock consisted of dairy cows, hogs, cattle and poultry.

In 1957, the family moved a few miles east, where they continued farming. After retiring, he helped with combining soybeans and corn until he was 93. In 2018, Marvin was presented with the Lifetime Farm Achievement Award. He enjoyed bowling, golfing, playing pool with his friends at the senior center and life on the farm with his family.

Marvin was an active member of Immanuel Lutheran Church. He taught adult Bible class and held various positions in the church throughout the years. Some of the roles included elder, trustee and secretary. He was also a member of the American Legion.

Marvin is survived by his spouse, Bonnie Nelson; their children, Doug (Ginger), Debra (Dr. Gary Volentine, fiancé), and Don (Lisa); grandchildren: Amber, Taylor and Geoffrey (Allison Lux); stepgrandchildren, Kerri (Todd) Leach, Ryan (Sara) Husman; and stepgreat-grandchildren, Kendra and Dylan.

Marvin was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Anna (Wedekind) Nelson; two brothers; and five sisters.

The church is located 4 miles north of Wayne on Highway 15 and 3 miles east.

Memorials may be directed to the Nelson family for later designation.

Source: https://norfolkdailynews.com/obituaries/marvin-nelson/article_375c7598-14b1-11ec-a58f-2749c143548b.html