Norris NELSON

NELSON, OSCARSON, PETERSON, ROGNEHAUGH, LONNEVIK, LARSON, MEYER, HEESCH, COUMES, FULGELBERG

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 12/29/2006 at 18:08:40

Norris Nelson died April 25, 2006 at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Fergus Falls. Services were held April 30 at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in rural Belmond with interment in the church cemetery. Pastor Lowell Halvorson officiated. Norris, the son of Nickolie and Helen Emelia (Oscarson) Nelson, was born November 9, 1913 in Belmond. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Olaf and attended school in Belmond. He owned and operated a portable feed grinding business prior to military service. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in May 1941. As a member of the 34th "Red Bull" Division, he saw service in Ireland, Tunisia and Italy during World War II. While on the Anzio beachhead May 20, 1944, Norris and a fellow soldier held off an entire battalion of Germans. That feat earned him the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest military honor in the nation. He also earned six overseas bars, an American Defense Service Ribbon, a Good Conduct Ribbon, a European African Middle Eastern Ribbon and a Silver Battle Star. When he returned to the United States he was asked to ride as a hero in an open-air car with General Mark W. Clark in a parade through Chicago. He was discharged from the Army in May 1945. Norris married Florain Janice Peterson on March 19, 1949 in Badger. They farmed near Scarville. He moved to the Veterans Home in 2002. He was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church in Thompson and the Thompson V.F.W. Post. He served on the Winnebago County Extension Board. He enjoyed reading, politics and music. His Christian faith was the most important thing to him throughout his life.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife in 1999; son-in-law Aaron Rognehaugh; brother Rev. Everett Nelson; sisters Ruth Lonnevik and Pearl Nelson (at birth); and brothers-in-law Roy Larson, Russell Lonnevik, Alfred Meyer and Gerald Peterson. He is survived by children Norrine (James) Heesch of Seymour, IA, Gerald (Cynthia Matson) Nelson of Kiester, MN, Tim (Linda) Nelson of Huntington Beach, CA, Helen (Michel) Coumes of Longmont, CO; and Arlyn (Kris) Nelson of Fergus Falls; brothers Rev. Clifford (Elnor) Nelson of St. Cloud, MN and Rueben (Ellie) Nelson of Belmond; sisters Mildred Meyer of Toledo, OH and Esther Larson of Pelican Rapids, MN; brothers-in-law John (Marilyn) Peterson of Apple Valley, MN and Paul (Shirley) Peterson of Kenyon, MN; and sisters-in-law Clara Nelson of Dent, MN and Lyla (James) Fulgelberg of Shell Lake, WI.

May 2, 2006
©Belmond Independent 2006