Margaret Mary (Rasmussen) Nims (1924-2016)

NIMS, RASMUSSEN, HAGEN, DAWSON, WILSON, THOMPSON, BILLSTEIN

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 12/3/2016 at 17:20:55

Obiturary from Iles Funeral Homes, Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa.

Margaret Mary Nims, a long-time resident of Ames, Iowa, died Monday, November 7, 2016, at Mary Greeley Memorial Hospital with her children and sister by her side.

Funeral services will be at 4:00 P.M. Friday, November 11, 2016, at The Basilica of St. John, Des Moines, Iowa. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Burial services will be held at 11:00 A.M., November 12 at Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines.

Margaret was born to her parents, Arthur and Lizzie Rasmussen, November 28, 1924, in White River, SD, and grew up on the Rosebud Indian Reservation with seven siblings. Later, her family moved to Springview, NE, where she graduated high school in 1944. After graduation, she moved to Lincoln, NE, and attended beauty school.

It was in Lincoln where she met her husband, Daryl H. Nims, who was training as a pilot in the Air Force. They were married at The Basilica of St. John in Des Moines and resided at Fort Des Moines until moving to Ames in 1951. With her husband, Margaret was co-owner of Nims Sportsman's of Ames from 1951 to 1989, where she loved working in the toy department.

In addition to her beautician work, Margaret's creative spirit led her to enjoy many interests and pursuits. She especially loved cooking for her family, and no event was too large for her to cater. She enjoyed gardening and canning large quantities of the produce that she grew. Margaret also enjoyed caring for the family home doing a variety of tasks, from building her own furniture to painting the family two-story home by herself. Her creative endeavors included oil painting, ceramics, sewing, crocheting, and writing poetry and prose. Her independent entrepreneurial spirit led her to opening two additional businesses in Ames, The Curtain Exchange and Hearth and Home.

A great love of country led Margaret to be active in politics along with her husband, Daryl, who served in the Iowa Senate. With a deep appreciation and love for history, Margaret wrote the book Down on Cut Meat Creek, an autobiographical tribute to her parents' and grandparents' who struggled to raise their families in White River, SD, on the Rosebud Indian Reservation during the Great Depression of the 1920's and 1930's.

In her later years, Margaret lived in Iowa City, Iowa, where she worked as a beautician and health care aide and was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church.

Margaret is survived by her children: Nyle Nims and wife, Pat; Nancy Hagen and husband, Dean; Norine Dawson and husband, Jeff; Normagene Wilson; Nichelle Thompson and husband, Bob, as well as 19 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.

Daughter, Nadine Nims Billstein, husband, Daryl H. Nims, her parents, three brothers and a sister, preceded Margaret in death.

In her last years, Margaret resided at Story County Medical Senior Care, Nevada, Iowa, and the family would like to thank them for the loving, quality care they gave her, as well as for their compassion during her hospitalization and death.

The family would also like to thank the Mary Greeley Hospital doctors and the fourth floor nurses and staff for their tremendous professionalism, compassion, and quality care that they gave Margaret. The family also would like to thank them for the kindness, compassion and service expressed to them during Margaret's hospitalization.