Jens Christian Nielsen 1919-2009

NIELSEN SORENSEN ZEDIKER

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 11/27/2009 at 21:36:32

Mapleton Press
1 October 2009

Jens Christian Nielsen, age 90, of Ida Grove, Iowa, and formerly of Mapleton, Iowa, died Thursday, September 17, 2009, at Horn Memorial Hospital in Ida Grove.

Graveside services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, September 19, 2009, at Mount Hope Cemetery in Battle Creek, Iowa under the direction of Christensen-Huffman Funeral Homes. The Reverend Kevin J. Freese will officiate, with military honors conducted by McNamara-Moore Post No. 61 of the American Legion. The family will receive friends on Saturday from 1-2 p.m. at Christensen-Huffman Funeral Home in Battle Creek. Online condolences may be directed to www.christensenhuffman.com .

Born February 3, 1919, in rural Battle Creek, Iowa, Jens Christian Nielsen was the son of Niels Peter and Anna (Sorensen) Nielsen. He received his education in Battle Creek, graduating from Battle Creek High School in 1936. Chris served 48 months in the United States Army during World War II with the 41st Infantry Division, 163rd C-Company in the Southwest Pacific Area. He earned a Bronze Star, A Purple Heart with one bronze oak leaf cluster, a Good Conduct medal, an Asiatic-Pacific Theatre ribbon with three stars, a Combat Infantryman badge, a Presidential Unit Citation, a Distinguished Unit badge, and an Americans Defense Service ribbon.

Chris returned to Iowa following the war where he farmed and raised livestock in the Mapleton area until the 1970’s. On February 19, 1950, he was united in marriage to Harriett Zediker in Sioux City, Iowa. Chris worked for the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation and , in 1974, became an insurance agent until retiring in 1984.

A 65-year member of McNamara-Moore Post No. 61 of the American Legion and Disabled American Vets, Chris enjoyed going to livestock auctions, fishing, playing cards, gardening, and watching sporting events on television.

Survivors include his wife, Harriett; two sons, Mark Nielsen of Battle Creek, and Terry (Becky) Nielsen of Mapleton; and two grandchildren, Jenna Nielsen and fiancée Ben Muilenburg of Omaha, Ne. and Craig Nielsen of Spirit Lake. He is also survived by three brothers, Wilfred Nielsen of Battle Creek, Peter H (Deloris) Nielsen of Ida Grove, and Einar H. Nielsen of Battle Creek; two sisters, Olga Dominick of Battle Creek and Freda (Dale) Chisholm of Ida Grove, as well as several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Martin and Howard Nielsen.