Raymond O. Nelson

Raymond O. Nelson, 94, formerly of Maskell, passed away on Wednesday, October 29, 2008 at the Hillcrest Care Center in Laurel, Nebraska. Funeral services were held at 10:30 A.M. on Saturday, November 1, 2008 at Faith Lutheran Church in Maskell, Nebraska with Pastor Randy Rasmussen officiating. Burial was in Lime Creek Cemetery in rural Maskell with military rites conducted by the Norfolk National Guard Color Guard, assisted by the Newcastle American Legion Post 62. Raymond was born on July 5, 1914 in rural Newcastle, Nebraska to Oscar Melvin and Rose Marie (Birkley) Nelson. He attended rural school in Grand Ridge, Nebraska. He then farmed on the family farm in rural Maskell. He served in the 5th Armor Division of the Army from March, 1942 to October, 1945. While in the service he was a radio operator and spent a lot of time in Germany. After the service he farmed and moved into Maskell in September, 1979. He later moved to Newcastle, then the Elms Health Care Center in Ponca, before moving to Hillcrest Care Center in Laurel a year ago. Raymond was a member of the Newcastle American Legion Post 62 for over 50 years. He was the Treasurer of the Zion/Faith Luther...[more]

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Church for 40 years and also served on the Hooker Township Board for 40 years. He served on the Newcastle rural Fire Board. He received the Nebraska Aksarben 100 year Nebraska Pioneer Farm Award in 1972. He was a cemetery caretaker for many years. Raymond loved to coffee with his friends. Survivors include one sister, Maureen Hangman of Laurel, Nebraska; one brother, Carleton Nelson of Coleridge, Nebraska; one sister-in-law, Dorothy Nelson of O'Neill, Nebraska; five nieces and nephews, Lynda and Norman Allington of Fresno, California, Leslie and Karen Nelson of Newcastle, Nebraska, Rozanne and John Hintz of Dixon, Nebraska, Norman and Bev Hangman of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Lynnel and Keith Fiscus of Coleridge, Nebraska; several great and great-great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, LeRoy Nelson; one brother-in-law, Norman Hangman, Sr; two sisters-in-law, Helen Nelson and Betty Nelson; one niece, Christy Nelson and one nephew, Darrel Wickstrom.