Franklin H. NIELSEN

NIELSEN, BUCK, MORRILL, DEARING, JENSEN, BULOW, EASLEY, SHERIFF, OBRECHT

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 5/18/2011 at 20:35:10

Obituary - Franklin H. Nielsen

Franklin H. NIELSEN, 77, of Thornton passed away Monday, January 3, 2011 at Hospice of North Iowa in Mason City. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, January 7, 2011 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Thornton. Internment will follow at Pleasant View Cemetery in Thornton. Visitation will be held from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, January 6 at Retz Funeral Home in Thornton.

Memorials may be directed to the Franklin NIELSEN Memorial Fund in care of the family.

Franklin was born on a farm southwest of Thornton to Chris and Pearl (BUCK) NIELSEN on May 7th, 1933. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Thornton and graduated in 1951. One week later he and Anne were married, and this past June they celebrated their 59th anniversary together. All of these years they were constant companions and showed their love for each other.

Franklin started out doing different short term jobs. Then in 1958 he started as custodian at the Thornton School, where he worked for the next ten years. From there he worked at Montgomery Wards as a department manager. In 1971 he started the NIELSEN Plumbing and Heating business which he ran for 39 ½ years until he was forced to quit working due to his declining health.

Franklin felt a strong commitment to his church and his community. He sang in the choir at St. Paul's Lutheran Church for about 30 years. He served on Thornton City Council for 24 years, M-T School Board for 9 years, and was a volunteer fireman for many years.

An avid golfer, he served on the Pleasant Valley Golf Course Board for 25 years.

Two highlights of his life were when he received the "Giving Your Best" award and when he and Anne were asked to be the grand marshalls in the Thornton Big Days parade.

Left to cherish his memory are his loving and caring wife, Anne; son, Dan (Diane), daughter, Dori (Bryan) MORRILL; grandchildren, Jen NIELSEN, Jared (Joelle) NIELSEN, Natalie (Brian) DEARING, Lillian MORRILL, Sam MORRILL; great-grandchildren, Alina PARK, and Payton DEARING; sisters, Ruby EASLEY, Mavis (Rod) JENSEN, Joy BULOW; brother, Leo (Betty) NIELSEN; many nieces, nephews, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Dale, Ivan, Gene, and Don NIELSEN; and two sisters, Opal OBRECHT and Marlene SHERIFF.

Retz Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, May of 2011

Cerro Gordo Obituaries maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
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