Interment: Laurel Hill Cemetery ~ Irvington, IA
Donna resided in Iowa her entire life. She was born April 22, 1926 in Algona, the youngest daughter of Melvin and Pearl (Cook) Dutton. She graduated in 1943 from the Burt Community School and then obtained her Certificate of Completion of the One-Year Curriculum for Teachers in Rural Schools from the Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls in 1944. Donna taught two years at the Portland Township No. 5 Rural School before marrying Raymond Nelson of Lone Rock on June 16, 1946. Eventually moving to Lu Verne, they farmed there for about 25 years until Ray's death in 1975. While in Lu Verne, Donna took college courses toward her teaching degree and, in 1967, took a job as a remedial reading teacher with the Lu Verne Community School; in 1972, she began teaching fourth grade in Lu Verne.
Upon her husband's death, Donna joined daughters Bev and Sandy at Westmar College in Le Mars to complete her degree. In 1976, Donna and Bev graduated together, each receiving Bachelors Degrees in Education. Donna then went on to obtain her Masters Degree in Education from Morningside College, Sioux City, in 1981. While working on her Masters, Donna began teaching Learning Disabilities at the O.B. Laing Middle School in Algona where she taught until her retirement in 1992.
Donna was a wonderful and loving wife, mother and grandmother who actively supported her family's involvement in sports, music, and church. She was an active member of the First United Methodist Church, the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, the National Education Association and the Iowa State Education Association. She loved spending time with her family and friends, traveling, music and lending a helping hand.
Donna Jean Nelson, 81, formerly of Lu Verne and Algona, died peacefully surrounded by family on Friday, November 9, 2007 at the Kossuth Regional Health Center Hospital Hospice in Algona after a lengthy illness with Parkinson's Disease.
Donna is survived by her children: Linda (Gene) Will of Algona, Doug (Nancy) Nelson of Algona, Bev (John) Haack of Sanborn, and Sandy Nelson of West Des Moines; six grandchildren: Julie (Chris) Kramer of West Des Moines, Jamie (Ben) Van Zee of West Des Moines, Maggie (John) Hach of Ypsilanti, MI, Brad Nelson of Algona, Kelly (Josh) Van Rooyen of Sioux Falls, SD, and Katie Haack of Sanborn; four great-grandchildren: Elle and Will Kramer and Abby and Ava Van Zee, all of West Des Moines; and sister Hazel Teeter, long-time Algona resident but recently of Grass Valley, CA. Donna was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and her sister Evelyn Strawn.
Donna resided in Iowa her entire life. She was born April 22, 1926 in Algona, the youngest daughter of Melvin and Pearl (Cook) Dutton. She graduated in 1943 from the Burt Community School and then obtained her Certificate of Completion of the One-Year Curriculum for Teachers in Rural Schools from the Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls in 1944. Donna taught two years at the Portland Township No. 5 Rural School before marrying Raymond Nelson of Lone Rock on June 16, 1946. Eventually moving to Lu Verne, they farmed there for about 25 years until Ray's death in 1975. While in Lu Verne, Donna took college courses toward her teaching degree and, in 1967, took a job as a remedial reading teacher with the Lu Verne Community School; in 1972, she began teaching fourth grade in Lu Verne.
Upon her husband's death, Donna joined daughters Bev and Sandy at Westmar College in Le Mars to complete her degree. In 1976, Donna and Bev graduated together, each receiving Bachelors Degrees in Education. Donna then went on to obtain her Masters Degree in Education from Morningside College, Sioux City, in 1981. While working on her Masters, Donna began teaching Learning Disabilities at the O.B. Laing Middle School in Algona where she taught until her retirement in 1992.
Donna was a wonderful and loving wife, mother and grandmother who actively supported her family's involvement in sports, music, and church. She was an active member of the First United Methodist Church, the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, the National Education Association and the Iowa State Education Association. She loved spending time with her family and friends, traveling, music and lending a helping hand.
Donna Jean Nelson, 81, formerly of Lu Verne and Algona, died peacefully surrounded by family on Friday, November 9, 2007 at the Kossuth Regional Health Center Hospital Hospice in Algona after a lengthy illness with Parkinson's Disease.
Donna is survived by her children: Linda (Gene) Will of Algona, Doug (Nancy) Nelson of Algona, Bev (John) Haack of Sanborn, and Sandy Nelson of West Des Moines; six grandchildren: Julie (Chris) Kramer of West Des Moines, Jamie (Ben) Van Zee of West Des Moines, Maggie (John) Hach of Ypsilanti, MI, Brad Nelson of Algona, Kelly (Josh) Van Rooyen of Sioux Falls, SD, and Katie Haack of Sanborn; four great-grandchildren: Elle and Will Kramer and Abby and Ava Van Zee, all of West Des Moines; and sister Hazel Teeter, long-time Algona resident but recently of Grass Valley, CA. Donna was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and her sister Evelyn Strawn.
Interment: Laurel Hill Cemetery ~ Irvington, IA
Donna resided in Iowa her entire life. She was born April 22, 1926 in Algona, the youngest daughter of Melvin and Pearl (Cook) Dutton. She graduated in 1943 from the Burt Community School and then obtained her Certificate of Completion of the One-Year Curriculum for Teachers in Rural Schools from the Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls in 1944. Donna taught two years at the Portland Township No. 5 Rural School before marrying Raymond Nelson of Lone Rock on June 16, 1946. Eventually moving to Lu Verne, they farmed there for about 25 years until Ray's death in 1975. While in Lu Verne, Donna took college courses toward her teaching degree and, in 1967, took a job as a remedial reading teacher with the Lu Verne Community School; in 1972, she began teaching fourth grade in Lu Verne.
Upon her husband's death, Donna joined daughters Bev and Sandy at Westmar College in Le Mars to complete her degree. In 1976, Donna and Bev graduated together, each receiving Bachelors Degrees in Education. Donna then went on to obtain her Masters Degree in Education from Morningside College, Sioux City, in 1981. While working on her Masters, Donna began teaching Learning Disabilities at the O.B. Laing Middle School in Algona where she taught until her retirement in 1992.
Donna was a wonderful and loving wife, mother and grandmother who actively supported her family's involvement in sports, music, and church. She was an active member of the First United Methodist Church, the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, the National Education Association and the Iowa State Education Association. She loved spending time with her family and friends, traveling, music and lending a helping hand.
Donna Jean Nelson, 81, formerly of Lu Verne and Algona, died peacefully surrounded by family on Friday, November 9, 2007 at the Kossuth Regional Health Center Hospital Hospice in Algona after a lengthy illness with Parkinson's Disease.
Donna is survived by her children: Linda (Gene) Will of Algona, Doug (Nancy) Nelson of Algona, Bev (John) Haack of Sanborn, and Sandy Nelson of West Des Moines; six grandchildren: Julie (Chris) Kramer of West Des Moines, Jamie (Ben) Van Zee of West Des Moines, Maggie (John) Hach of Ypsilanti, MI, Brad Nelson of Algona, Kelly (Josh) Van Rooyen of Sioux Falls, SD, and Katie Haack of Sanborn; four great-grandchildren: Elle and Will Kramer and Abby and Ava Van Zee, all of West Des Moines; and sister Hazel Teeter, long-time Algona resident but recently of Grass Valley, CA. Donna was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and her sister Evelyn Strawn.
Donna resided in Iowa her entire life. She was born April 22, 1926 in Algona, the youngest daughter of Melvin and Pearl (Cook) Dutton. She graduated in 1943 from the Burt Community School and then obtained her Certificate of Completion of the One-Year Curriculum for Teachers in Rural Schools from the Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls in 1944. Donna taught two years at the Portland Township No. 5 Rural School before marrying Raymond Nelson of Lone Rock on June 16, 1946. Eventually moving to Lu Verne, they farmed there for about 25 years until Ray's death in 1975. While in Lu Verne, Donna took college courses toward her teaching degree and, in 1967, took a job as a remedial reading teacher with the Lu Verne Community School; in 1972, she began teaching fourth grade in Lu Verne.
Upon her husband's death, Donna joined daughters Bev and Sandy at Westmar College in Le Mars to complete her degree. In 1976, Donna and Bev graduated together, each receiving Bachelors Degrees in Education. Donna then went on to obtain her Masters Degree in Education from Morningside College, Sioux City, in 1981. While working on her Masters, Donna began teaching Learning Disabilities at the O.B. Laing Middle School in Algona where she taught until her retirement in 1992.
Donna was a wonderful and loving wife, mother and grandmother who actively supported her family's involvement in sports, music, and church. She was an active member of the First United Methodist Church, the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, the National Education Association and the Iowa State Education Association. She loved spending time with her family and friends, traveling, music and lending a helping hand.
Donna Jean Nelson, 81, formerly of Lu Verne and Algona, died peacefully surrounded by family on Friday, November 9, 2007 at the Kossuth Regional Health Center Hospital Hospice in Algona after a lengthy illness with Parkinson's Disease.
Donna is survived by her children: Linda (Gene) Will of Algona, Doug (Nancy) Nelson of Algona, Bev (John) Haack of Sanborn, and Sandy Nelson of West Des Moines; six grandchildren: Julie (Chris) Kramer of West Des Moines, Jamie (Ben) Van Zee of West Des Moines, Maggie (John) Hach of Ypsilanti, MI, Brad Nelson of Algona, Kelly (Josh) Van Rooyen of Sioux Falls, SD, and Katie Haack of Sanborn; four great-grandchildren: Elle and Will Kramer and Abby and Ava Van Zee, all of West Des Moines; and sister Hazel Teeter, long-time Algona resident but recently of Grass Valley, CA. Donna was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and her sister Evelyn Strawn.
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