LaVerne M. "Fritz" Nielsen Obituary (1924

LaVerne M. "Fritz" Nielsen, 86, of Oelwein, Iowa, died on Tuesday, December 7, 2010 at Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo. Memorial Service with Military Rites: 2:00 P.M. Friday, December 10, 2010 at the Jamison-Schmitz Funeral Home, Oelwein with Lay Minister Darla DeWitte officiating. Military rites by the Oelwein American Legion Ross Reid Post #9. Gathering Time: one hour before the service at the funeral home. Inurnment: Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, Oelwein, Iowa. Memorials may be directed to the family. Online obituary at www.jamisonschmitzfuneralhome.com LaVerne Morris Nielsen was born on September 23, 1924 at rural Aurora, Iowa, the son of Morris Peter & Minnie Edith (Karsten) Nielsen. He graduated from Lamont High School in 1942. Fritz served in the Army Air Corp during W.W. II. He then worked for his father for 10 years as a tiler. Fritz moved to Oelwein where he worked at the Chicago Great Western Railroad for several years. He was united in marriage to Frances Margaret Steggall on May 28, 1955 at the Little Brown Church at Nashua, Iowa. Fritz then worked at City Laundry for several years and for Ed Humphrey Construction for a short time. The couple then moved to Anamosa where Fritz managed the laundry at the Iowa State Prison for two years. They returned to Oelwein and Fritz became the head of maintenance for the Oelwein Community School System until his retirement. Fritz was a member of the Oelwein American Legion Ross Reid Post #9. He enjoyed working, fishing, tinkering, discussing current events and completing crossword puzzles. LaVerne is survived by his Sister: Carole Hart (Thomas Eldridge) of Waterloo; 3 Step-Daughters: Shirley (Don) Nauholz of Westgate, Kay (Keith) Lowe of Waterloo & Joann (John "Gus") Aubrey of Oelwein; 5 Step Grandchildren; 13 Step Great Grandchildren and Many Nieces and Nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife: Frances on July 16, 2004, 5 brothers: Donald, Robert, Jim, Dean and Dick and 3 sisters: Marian Schweitzer, Betty Brewer and Delores Hanson.