Bertha Mae Nielsen

Bertha Mae Nielsen, the daughter of Christian W. and Emma (Thygesen) Hansen, was born December 21, 1922, at her parents’ home in rural Guthrie County, Iowa and died May 4, 2019, at the Friendship Home in Audubon, Iowa at the age of 96 years, 4 months, and 13 days.
Bertha Mae was baptized at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Guthrie County and confirmed at the Bethany Lutheran Church northeast of Kimballton, Iowa. She attended rural schools, Sharon No. 5, and Leroy Township schools in Audubon, County. Bertha Mae then worked for several farm families doing housework. Bertha Mae’s parents’ home burned down and during the rebuilding she met her future husband Martin. Martin and his father did the masonry on the new home.
On July 6, 1941, she was united in marriage to Martin Jens Nielsen in Maryville, Missouri. They were blessed with three children Marcia Kay, Dona Louise, and Steven Martin. Bertha Mae and Martin worked on Chris Winther’s farm west of Audubon the first two years then moved to Martin’s parents’ farm south of Fiscus, Iowa. They rented farms near Kimballton, Iowa, Exira, Iowa, Guthrie, Iowa, and then near Viola, Iowa in Audubon County. Bertha Mae helped Martin operate the farms where they grew row crops and raised livestock. They quit farming and moved into Audubon in December of 1964. Bertha Mae then was employed as a cook at the Audubon Elementary School from 1965 until she retired in 1985. Bertha Mae was a crafter and enjoyed participating in craft fairs with Martin. Martin died on March 6, 1992. Bertha Mae continued to live at her home in Audubon until she moved to the Friendship Home.
Bertha Mae was a member of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Audubon where she taught Sunday school. She was a 4-H Leader for the Viola Busy Bees and a member of the ODO (Our Day Out) Club for many years. Bertha Mae was member of several card clubs and enjoyed visiting and playing cards with her many friends and family. She enjoyed going to craft fairs with her daughters, and loved to cook, bake, embroider, putting puzzles together and raking leaves. Family was very important to her and she loved any and all family gatherings.
Preceding her in death was her husband Martin J. Nielsen; her son-in-law Gordon Lange; her daughter-in-law Ann (Levis) Nielsen; her parents; her father-in-law and mother-in-law Jens K. and Caroline (Anderson) Nielsen; her brothers Milo Hansen and Roland and wife Rosemary Hansen, her sister Florence and husband Lester (Joe) Staub; her sisters-in-law Margaret and husband Virgil Jaszarowski and Wilma and husband William Kivett; her brother-in-law Russell and wife Mary Jane Nielsen.
Survivors include her children Marcia and husband Kenneth Snyder and Dona and husband Tom Garber all of Audubon, Iowa and Steven Nielsen of Waverly, Iowa; her grandchildren Sharon and husband Stephen Messer of Runnells, Iowa, Jerry and wife Cathy Lange and Cynthia and husband Jeffrey Deist all of Audubon, Iowa, Jensine and husband Jason Scanlan of Fredricka, Iowa, and Emily Nielsen of Waverly, Iowa; her great grandchildren Hannah Lange and Joshua Lange of Audubon, Iowa, Kaytlyn Messer and Lisa Messer of Runnells, Iowa, Megan Heim and Madison Heim of Waverly, Iowa, and Jordan Scanlan of Fredricka, Iowa; her sister-in-law Mardell Hansen of Audubon, Iowa, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
The family will meet with friends Wednesday morning, May 8, 2019, from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Audubon, Iowa. Funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Ben Unseth on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Audubon, Iowa. Interment will be in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon. The casket bearers will be Jerry Lange, Stephen Messer, Jeffrey Deist, Jason Scanlan, Ronald Nielsen, and Ron Swinford.