Martin Edwin "Ed" Nass (1928-2007)

NASS, MCGEE, CARLSON, MOLL, OLSEN, DANIELSON

Posted By: Ames Tribune
Date: 12/28/2007 at 20:56:02

THE AMES TRIBUNE, Ames, Story County, Iowa, Thursday, December 27, 2007.

March 12, 1928-Dec. 25, 2007

Martin Edwin "Ed" Nass, 79, of Webster City, died Christmas Day at Crestview Senior Living. A celebration of life will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 28, at Asbury United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Pete Peterson officiating. Burial will be in Graceland Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 tonight at Foster Funeral and Cremation Center in Webster City, and after 9 a.m. Friday at the church.

Martin Edwin "Ed" Nass was born March 12, 1928, in Ames, the son of Seward A. and Dorothy McGee Nass. He lived briefly in Huxley. He attended schools in Ames and graduated from Ames High School in 1946. At the end of World War II and immediately after graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served two years of occupation duty in Japan, where he worked in a public health unit of the Occupational Army. He was discharged as a sergeant. Following his discharge, he attended Iowa State College and the University of Iowa, majoring in mathematics and science, graduating in 1952. However, his desire to start a teaching career was delayed by two years of service during the Korean War. He served in the Army Corps of Engineers in Germany and earned the rank of second lieutenant.

In 1954, he finally started his teaching career, which would span the next 45 years. His first teaching assignment was in the town of Pierson, where he taught math and science for two years. He then taught mathematics at Atlantic for nine years. By 1965, his desire to teach college-level mathematics prompted him to move to Webster City Junior College. That school became part of Iowa Central Community College, for which he taught computer science as well as mathematics. In addition, he taught night classes in math and computer science for Buena Vista University at Storm Lake and Fort Dodge for 19 years. He retired from teaching in 1995. For nine years, he and his wife, Marj, owned and operated the Book Nook.

He was a member of Asbury United Methodist Church, where he served on various committees and taught Sunday school. A lifetime of hobbies have included photography, gardening, reading and research on the history of Hamilton County and Webster City. In addition to writing several books about local history, he assumed the editorship of the 1984 History of Hamilton County, project of Curtis Publishing Company of Dallas, in cooperation with radio station KQWC. With the support of the Webster City Rotary Club, he made two historical videotapes of Webster City history.

He served on the Board of Directors of Kendall Young Library from 1980 to1994. He was a member of Diamond K (Kiwanis Club).

Various awards and recognitions include the Iowa Central Community Colleges Superintendent's Award in April 1987, Outstanding Adjunct Faculty for Buena Vista University in 1988, Outstanding and Dedicated Service Award in 2002 from Diamond K, an award for his historical information from Webster City and Hamilton County in 2004, a certificate of recognition for civic commitment to Webster City in December 2005 from the mayor, and the Man To Man Faithfulness award in 2006 (Asbury United Methodist Church). When Webster City celebrated the sesquicentennial this year, he was selected as the grand marshall.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Marjorie; one son and daughter-in-law, Brian and Ronda Nass, of Rochester, Minn.; two daughters and sons-in-law, Miriam and Scott Carlson, of Stanhope, and Mara and Bryan Moll, of Clive; grandchildren, Bethany and David Olsen, Greg Nass, Jenny Nass, Ben Carlson, Sarah Carlson and Connor Moll; one sister, Gloria Danielson, of House Springs, Mo.; one brother, David Nass, of Desert Hot Springs, Calif.; and several nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in discretion of the family.

Twenty-five, 50 or 100 years from now, children and adults will have the privilege of reading about the hard work that went into building Webster City and surrounding areas. His dedication to the facts of history will benefit many who are yet to be born.

Ed Nass ... well done, good and faithful servant.

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