Don Morris Nielsen passed away on Monday, March 26, 2018, at the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic, Iowa, at the age of 84 years, 4 months, and 10 days.
Don was born on November 16, 1933, on a farm near Jacksonville in Shelby County, Iowa, to Ralph and Frieda (Schmidt) Nielsen. He was baptized into Christ and confirmed his faith in Christ at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Jacksonville. He graduated from Harlan High School, Harlan, Iowa, in 1951, and attended Dana College in Blair, Nebraska, for one year. Don served in the United States Navy.
On June 14, 1959, Don married Marie Kathrine Jensen at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Atlantic, Iowa. They made their home in Omaha, Nebraska, where they welcomed their three children, Phillip, Laura, and Mark. Don worked as a draftsman for various companies over the years, first in Omaha, then in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1969 to 1990, and finally retiring in Haughton, Louisiana. In 2000, Don and Marie moved to Atlantic, Iowa.
Don loved both his family and his faith family. He was a leader in several churches: Our Savior's Lutheran Church (Omaha, Nebraska), Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (St. Louis, Missouri), Holy T...[more]
ity Lutheran Church (Shreveport, Louisiana), St. Paul's Lutheran Church (Atlantic, Iowa), and Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (Atlantic, Iowa). Don was involved in various ministries including lay preaching, prison ministry, and child sponsorship.
Don was preceded in death by his wife, Marie, in 2014; his parents; and his brother, Stanley Nielsen. Survivors include son, Phillip Nielsen, his wife, DeAnn, of Kirkman, Iowa, and their children, Jessie Davie and her husband Dusty, and Eric, Isaac, Reece, Sheila, and Keisha Nielsen; daughter, Laura Kelly, her husband, Dan Dean, of Winslow, Arkansas, and their son, Quinn Kelly; son, Mark Nielsen, his wife, Amy, of St. Louis, Missouri, and their children, Holly and Milo Nielsen; sister, Jeanne Sorensen and her husband, Connie of Phoenix, Arizona; sister, Lona Louis of Chicago, Illinois; brother, David and his wife, Sandy, of Wayzata, Minnesota; sister-in-law, Cheryl Nielsen of Harlan, Iowa; and brother-in-law, Kenneth Jensen and his wife, Bonnie, of Albert Lea, Minnesota; and other relatives and friends.
A memorial service was held on Saturday, March 31, 2018, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Harlan, Iowa, with Pastor Ron Rasmussen of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Jacksonville, Iowa, officiating. Burial of ashes was held in the Jacksonville Cemetery, Jacksonville, Iowa. Memorials are suggested to Okoboji Lutheran Bible Camp, Compassion International, Church of the Damascus Road, and Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. The Burmeister-Johannsen Funeral Home in Harlan, Iowa, was in charge of the arrangements.
To read the full obituary, please click here: http://burmeisterjohannsen.com/3406/don-morris-nielsen-march-26-2018/