Curtis Franklin Nelson was born August 8, 1923, on a farm northwest of Exira, Iowa, the son of Alfred Christian and Lela Christina (Nelson) Nelson.

Curtis attended country school in Oakfield Township and High School in Exira. He farmed with his father. On July 3, 1948, he married Saranne (Sally) Keasey and they continued to farm west of Exira. He was baptized and confirmed into the Exira Lutheran Church in 1952.

He was very active in the Mid American Dairymen Association serving as a voting delegate to the convention for 2 years. He was also very active in 4-H. In January 1977, they moved to Ames, Iowa, where he worked as an Animal Caretaker on the Animal Science Teaching Farm for Iowa State University until retirement in 1988. After retirement, he was a school crossing guard for the Ames Police Department until 1995.

They moved to Anita, Iowa, in 1995. He joined the Holy Cross Lutheran Church in December of 1995. He was active in the church serving as Treasurer and Steward. He was a volunteer on the Care Review Committee at Colonial Manor for several years and Associate member of the Anita Chamber of Commerce until emphysema curtailed many activities. He transferred to Zion Lutheran Church in 2007 when they moved to Atlantic, Iowa.

Curtis enjoyed traveling and spending time with his children and grandchildren. He had a great sense of humor and liked to visit with people.

He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant sister, Aileen Phyllis; sisters, LaVerna and husband, Raymond Nelson and Bernice and husband, Raymond Nielsen; brother-in law, LeRoy Corwin; sister-in-law, Margaret and husband, H. M. Buckalew; and son-in-law, Bill Bernard.

He is survived by his wife Sally; four children, Kristine (Ken) Bonk of Chattanooga, TN; Margaret (Joe) Cook of Des Moines, IA, James(Leann) Nelson of Aurora, NE and Joseph (Aimee) Nelson of Seattle, WA; grandchildren, Eric Bonk of Avon, CO, Adam Bonk of Phoenix, AZ, Sarah Bonk and her special friend, James Farrell of Brooklyn, New York and Joshua Nelson of Portland, OR; step-grandchildren, Becky Shafer of Aurora, NE and Anthony (Rachel) Shafer of Falls City, NE; great-grandson, Joshua Bonk of Chattanooga, TN; step-great-granddaughter, Lily Dunn of Falls City, NE; sister, Virginia Corwin of Ankeny, IA; exchange student from 1968-69 and still close friends, Aslaug and Ottar Degnes and sons, Marius and Lars Jorgen of Orje, Norway; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 1, 2012, at Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m., Thursday, August 2, 2012, at Zion Lutheran Church in Atlantic, Iowa, with burial in St. John’s Cemetery west of Exira, Iowa.