Iris M. (Carr) Nelsen

Iris M. (Carr) Nelsen, 97, of Belmond, passed away on Thursday, December 19, 2019, at the Rehabilitation Center of Belmond.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 PM on Monday, December 23, 2019 at Ewing Funeral Home, 111 Luick’s Lane South in Belmond, with Marj Osier officiating. Burial will follow at Graceland Cemetery in Rowan, Iowa.

Visitation will be held one hour prior to services at the funeral home on Monday.

Iris Marietta Nelsen, the daughter of Emmett and Leona (Huntington) Carr, was born July 16, 1922 in rural Alexander, Iowa. She grew up in rural Alexander and attended school there until her senior year. She graduated from the Rowan High School with the class of 1939.

On December 11, 1939 Iris was united in marriage with Ernest H. Nelsen at the Eagle Grove Methodist Parsonage. Through the union, two children were born, Judy and Arlyn. The family lived in Rowan, where Iris helped with the farm and did custom seamstress work. You couldn’t find a straighter hem or better clothes than the ones Iris made! She enjoyed making the 4H and Rowan Basketball Team uniforms.

Iris later worked for W.P. Aldinger grocery store as a certified egg candler. In her free time, Iris and Ernie loved traveling and taking fishing trips. The couple spent 19 years wintering in Texas. Although Iris’s favorite spot was sitting in her chair quietly crocheting while sipping on a Pepsi.

Iris lived a good, long, successful and fulling life. She leaves behind a positive multi-generational legacy. Iris left this world with peace in her heart and soul. Iris always knew that all of her family were loved and that she was truly loved in return.

Those left to cherish her memory include daughter Judy (Pat) Quigley of Belmond; son Arlyn (Lana) Nelsen of Indianola; four grandchildren Bennett (Deb) Gaulke, Natalie (Tony) McBride, Lora (Darin) Dowling and Mary (Sean) Stanley; 13 great grandchildren Nathan (Rachelle) Gaulke, Lauren (Bryce) Schweitzer, Logan (Kindra) Gaulke, Mark (Anna) McBride, Jeff (Nicole) McBride, Meghan McBride, Colin McBride, Madelyn (Zach) Kurth, Joselyn Dowling, Mackenzie Stanley and Graham Stanley; 7 great-great grandchildren and several special nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her husband of 72 years, Ernest Nelsen, sisters Fern Hill and Lillian Azeltine, brother Arnold Carr and son-in-law Jim Burt.