Leroy Nelson

Graveside Services: Will Be Held at the Fontanelle Cemetery on Friday, November 15, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. with full military graveside rites conducted by the Fontanelle American Legion Carlson Post No. 247. A luncheon will be held at the Fontanelle United Methodist Church following the graveside service.  

Open Visitation: Will be held at the Steen Funeral Home in Fontanelle on Thursday, November 14, 2019, from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 

Family Visitation: The family will greet friends at the Steen Funeral Home in Fontanelle on Thursday, November 14, 2019, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 

Memorials: Memorials may be made to the Leroy Nelson memorial fund to be established by the family. 

Leroy Lawrence Nelson passed away Saturday, November 9, 2019 at the Good Samaritan Center in Fontanelle. Leroy was born September 6, 1930 in Page County, Iowa to Lawrence and Millicent (Hart) Nelson.

Leroy’s family lived in Missouri, Page County, and Montgomery County, Iowa. He attended his last year of school in Essex, Iowa. After leaving school Leroy worked as a truck driver for various employers. Leroy entered the Army on October 24, 1951, and was stationed in Fort Knox, Kentucky for basic training. He went to Korea in 1952. Leroy was honorably discharged from the Army in July 1953. He served 6 years in the Reserves. After discharge, he worked for Montgomery County on the surveying crew.

Leroy was united in marriage on November 4, 1955 to Roberta Carns in Red Oak, Iowa. Four children were born to this union, Susan, Sherry, Dale and Stacey. Leroy and Roberta started farming in Adair County in the spring of 1956 on his father-in-law’s farm. The family moved to Fontanelle in December, 1962, renting farm ground west of Fontanelle. They purchased their farm 5 years later. Leroy and Roberta retired from farming and moved to their house in Fontanelle in 2002. Leroy drove a truck for Schildberg Construction part-time for several years during his retirement. Leroy’s declining health forced a move to the Good Samaritan Center in June 2018. Leroy was active for many years with the American Legion, Farmers Cooperative board member, Summerset Township Trustee, and was a founding member of the Fontanelle Lion’s Club. Leroy had a deep love for horses and owned them for most of his life.

Preceding him in death were his parents, his wife Roberta in 2006, siblings, Cecil Nelson, Russell Nelson; Kathryn Whitehouse, Dorothy Ellwood, Janet Hunt, and twin stillborn sisters Judy and Jane.

Survivors include his children: Susan (Brad) Newton, Fontanelle, Sherry Simpson, Council Bluffs, Dale (Kelly) Nelson, Greenfield, and Stacey (Greg) Buxton, Creston; brother Norman Nelson and wife Claire, Apple Valley, CA, sister-in-laws; Itha Carns, Fontanelle, Dorothy Nelson, Elliot, Annie Nelson, Des Moines, and Letty Larkin, Mesa, AZ. Leroy was very proud of his 10 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren. Grandchildren are: Shawna Herr, Fontanelle, Traci Morris, Waukee, Erica King, Malvern, Amanda Howard, Perry, Christopher Simpson, Council Bluffs, Michael Edwards, Casey, Trevor Nelson, Stuart, Devon Nelson, Des Moines, Taylor and Morgan Buxton, Creston.