Earl L. Nelson

Earl (Snook) Lynn Nelson was born November 5, 1944, at Clarion, Iowa, to Gerald and Bernice (Thompson) Nelson. Earl attended Boone Valley High School then was drafted into the United States Army. He served from May, 1966 to May, 1968, in France and Germany. Following his honorable discharge, Snook worked as a cheese maker in Orchard, Nebraska and hauled milk. On June 12, 1969, he was united in marriage to Dian Helmer in Pierce, Nebraska. The couple moved to Renwick in 1971, and Snook worked for Pioneer Cheese Company and farmed. Later he and his wife Dian started their own cheese making business in Garner, Iowa. Snook won several awards for cheese making while in business. In 1989, he began trucking for Umthun Trucking Co. of Ft. Dodge and later Decker Trucking and won awards for safe driving. Snook enjoyed fishing, camping, waterskiing and spending time sitting on his picnic table visiting with friends and neighbors. He was a huge Elvis Presley fan. Snook was a long time member of the United Methodist Church in Renwick. Snook died on Sunday morning, June 10, 2012, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa, at the age of 67. Survivors include his daught...[more]

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Cari Sisson of Goldfield, and son Corey and wife Carrie of Grimes, Iowa, as well as four grandchildren, Jena, Caden, Rylynn and Coltyn. Also surviving is sister, Beverly and husband Leo Lester of Goldfield, Iowa, sister Shirley and husband Ernie Gudenschawer of Orchard, Nebraska, sister Diane Lawson of Leon, Iowa, and brother, Bernard Nelson and wife Anne of Renwick, Iowa and special friend Eldon Walter. Snook was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Dian in January, 2000, and brother-in-law, Gary Lawson.