Wilma Jean Nelsen

Obituary For Wilma Jean Nelsen

Wilma Jean (Sampson) Nelsen, daughter of Martin and Johanna Sampson, was born February 22, 1922, in Huxley Iowa, the youngest of seven children. Her family moved to Armstrong Iowa in 1922. She attended rural school in Emmet County and graduated from Armstrong Public School in 1940.

She passed away in the early morning hours of July 22, 2025.

On September 29, 1945, she was united in marriage to the love of her life, Norman Ray Nelsen of Ringsted, Iowa. They farmed in the Ringsted area for 30 years where they raised their five children and were members of St. John’s Lutheran Church. Wilma enjoyed being a homemaker; canning and preserving items from her large garden, baking, sewing, quilting and decorating. She especially enjoyed friends dropping by for a visit over a cup of coffee.

They moved to Estherville, Iowa in 1978 and were members of Trinity Lutheran Church.

She and Norman were truly blessed having been together for 64 years. She is survived by her children, Gary (Nancy Wittenberg) of Spencer, Iowa; Julie (Mike) Kelch of Ankeny Iowa, Jon (Joy) of Houston Texas, and Lori (Curt) Orth of Colorado Springs, Colorado; six grandsons; five granddaughters; and twenty-three great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, six siblings, her son and a daughter-in-law.

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