Berna Nelson, 1935-2014

Published 9:25 am Friday, May 2, 2014

A memorial service for Berna G. Nelson will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Emmons Lutheran Church. The Rev. Christopher Martin will officiate. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Bonnerup Funeral Service in Albert Lea and again one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be at Lime Creek Cemetery in Emmons.

Berna Nelson

Berna Nelson passed away on Wednesday, April 30, 2014, at Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea at the age of 78 years, 11 months and one day.

Berna was born on May 29, 1935, to George and Amanda (Finsaas) Fjeld in Joice, Iowa. She was baptized and confirmed at Beaver Creek Lutheran Church. She attended and graduated from Fertile High School and was the 1953 band queen. She was united in marriage to Truman Opdahl, who later passed away in 1971. Berna married Jack Nelson on Christmas Eve, 1976, in Clear Lake, Iowa.

Berna was a resident of rural Alden since 1953. She was a member of Emmons Lutheran church, where she was very active in church circle, quilting and the Lydia circle Bible study. She worked for Winnebago Mutual Insurance Co. in Lake Mills previous to marrying Truman and was a waitress at Arrowhead Golf Course in Emmons during the 1970s. She took wonderful care of the farrowing operation on the farm. Berna loved the outdoors and had many wonderful memories tending to her livestock and being a part of many horse shows with her daughter, Sylvia, around the area. She had a deep love for her family and especially cherished all of her grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents, George and Amanda; first husband, Truman, in 1971; and her mother and father-in-law, Albert and Tilda (Larson) Opdahl.

Those left to cherish Berna’s memory are her husband, Jack Nelson, of Alden; children Sylvia (Dana) Christiansen of Hartland, Richard (Kathy) Opdahl of Alden and Dale (Linda) Opdahl of Paullina, Iowa; grandchildren Audra Christiansen, Kari (Opdahl) Schwab, Brianna Opdahl, Staci Morgan, Wendy Chapin and Michelle Rasmussen; great-grandchildren Ashton and Sierra Thompson, Averie Morgan, Olivia, Ethan and Maycee Chapin and Gwenyth Rasmussen; a brother, Glenn (Marilyn) Fjeld, of Joice; and many loving nieces, nephews and other relatives and close friends.