Recorded in the 1947-48 Legion mailing list in Manning.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 2 p.m. Friday, April 12, at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 221 S. Jackson Ave. Eagle Grove, Iowa. Father Nils Hernandez will be officiating.

A family burial will take place at the Glenwood Cemetery, Goldfield, Iowa, with military honors presented by the Goldfield American Legion.

A visitation will take place Thursday, April 11 from 4 until 7 p.m. at the church. A rosary will begin at 3:45p.m. Visitation will continue on one hour prior to the service on Friday.

Those wishing to express their sympathies in memorials may direct them to the family, 123 Country Club Drive, Belmond, Iowa, 50421.

Earl Douglas Nelson, son of Earl H. and Ethel (Attebury) Nelson, was born July 21, 1923, in Goldfield. He graduated from Goldfield High school in 1941.

Doug attended Eagle Grove Junior College, and then attended Buena Vista College for a short period until being enlisted in the United States Army.

On August 17, 1942, Doug married Mildred Ann Plunkett at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Eagle Grove. This union was blessed with seven children.

In 1943, Doug joined the Army and in January 1946 he was discharged honorably. Doug was stationed in numerous locations including Cape Cod, Massachusetts, with the Signal Corps and served in China with his unit the 36th Flight Control Squadron of the U.S. Air Force where he received the Bronze Star.

After his military tenure, Doug worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in egg inspections at Manning, Iowa, then farmed in Goldfield. Doug then worked for Standard Oil Tank Wagon Service as an agent. He then progressed as a Jobber owner of Nelson Petroleum Products. Doug retired in 1982, after selling his business which he built from scratch. Doug continued to stay busy in his community after retirement with numerous different groups and organizations including his cherished American Legion Post No. 370 in Goldfield, where he was a member of most of his life. Doug was a member of the China, Burma, and India Association where he attended meetings. Doug served on Goldfield City Council, Parish Council member for the Sacred Heart Church, and on the school board for Goldfield School. He was president of the low-income housing project for several years.

Doug enjoyed raising animals, especially his standard poodle Lute. Doug was an avid sports fan, enjoying every game he could, rooting for his favorite team, the Iowa Hawkeyes. His favorite sport was basketball. In high school Doug's nickname was Sparky because he was the teams' sparkplug.

Doug adored waking up to the open waters at their northern cabin at Lake Borden, Minnesota. He found great joy in being one with nature fishing in the great outdoors. He enjoyed having social events with all of his friends and family. In 1969, Doug and Millie built a home on the south end of Lake Cornelia turning that into their dream.

Doug loved to have fun and joke around, he enjoyed every day of his life, he even proved this by water skiing on his 70th birthday on Lake Cornelia. Doug loved times spent golfing. He often times could be found with his great circle of friends at the Oakridge Golf Course in Goldfield on men's night playing a round of golf. Doug was a kindhearted, loving person at heart he was a loved son and son-in-law and enjoyed uniting with the sick and elderly. His personality was full of warmth for his fellow mankind and beloved family.

His cherished memories and lasting love will carry on in the hearts and minds of his family. Including his wife of over 70 years, Millie Nelson (Belmond); children Kathleen Nelson (Belmond), Michael (Kaaren) Nelson (Bettendorf), Susan (Dan) Girard (Belmond), Thomas (Rick Goodhead) Nelson (Tulsa, Oklahoma), Geoffrey (Barb) Nelson (Bettendorf), Gregory (Cathy) Nelson (Davenport), Scott (Monica) Nelson (Davenport); grandchildren Kara (Fred) Vitt, Dana (Justin) Holstein, Chad (Meredith) Lenning, Mathew (Barbara) Lenning, Melissa (Tim) Slapnicher, Mark (Stacy) Lenning, Collin Nelson, Seth Nelson, Blake Nelson, Brett Nelson; Great-grandchildren Kailey, Bryce, Zane Vitt; Jacob and Olivia Holstein; Malia, Micah and Amara Slapnicher; Carter and Grant Lenning; Elizabeth and Natalee Lenning; Dylan and Ellie Lenning.

Doug was preceded in death by his parents Earl H. and Ethel Mae; brother Marshall Nelson and wife Lucille; sister Pauline Graves and husband Bud.

Andrews Funeral Home Belmond, Iowa.