Nora Jean Bertelsen

Nora Jean Bertelsen, the daughter Harry Fry, Sr. and Viola Lucille (Brensel) Fry, was born October 14, 1936, at her parents’ home in Audubon, Iowa and died November 30, 2016, at the Friendship Home in Audubon, Iowa at the age of 80 years, 1 month, and 16 days.
Nora Jean was baptized as an adult. She attended rural school “Melville Township” in a one room schoolhouse. She then helped on the family farm.
On September 1, 1962, she was united in marriage to Kenneth Bertelsen at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Audubon, Iowa. They were blessed with five children Linda, Marsha, Roxanne, Gary, and Wayne. They lived in Audubon their entire married life. During this time Nora Jean was a homemaker taking care of Kenneth and the children. Kenneth died February 8, 1995. Nora Jean lived in her own home until she moved to the Friendship Home in Audubon on November 7, 2007.
Nora Jean was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Audubon. She loved flowers and always had a large flower garden. Nora Jean enjoyed embroidery, putting jig-saw puzzles together, and going for long walks in the fresh air. She liked going to garage sales and just visiting with people. But above all she enjoyed being with her family especially her grandchildren. While residing in the Friendship Home she enjoyed participating in all the activities. Every time the family would visit her she would tell them she was going home and on November 30, 2016, she went home.
Preceding her in death was her husband Kenneth Bertelsen; her parents; her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Karen Miller, Anne and husband Chester Christensen, Minnie and husband Arley Brandvold, Harold and wife Elsa Bertelsen, Ella and Melvin Jorgensen, Clayton Ternquist, and Gordon Bertelsen.
Survivors include her children Linda and husband Phil Gross of Hamlin, Iowa, Marsha Kirshner of Atlantic, Iowa, Roxanne “Rocky” Asmus and Gary Bertelsen both of Audubon, Iowa, and Wayne and wife Kathy Bertelsen of Cleveland, Ohio; 12 grandchildren; Jacqueline and Thomas Spaulding, Nina and Anthony Bruns, Jonathan and Elizabeth Gross, Rebecca and Ben Uren, Jesse Schwisow, Amanda and Jay Miller, Darrin “Bubba” Heller and Meleah Patterson, Rachel Asmus and fiancé Austin Miller, Timothy Asmus, Jennifer Asmus, Xavier Bertelsen, and Anastacia Cobb; 17 great grandchildren; her brothers and sisters Harry, Jr. and wife Lois Fry of Sedalia, Missouri, Emerson Fry, Donna Fry, Mary Fry, Bernadine Fry, and Robert Fry all of Audubon, Iowa; her sister-in-law Evelyn Ternquist of Montana; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
The family will meet with friends on Friday evening, December 2, 2016, at 5:00 P.M. at the Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon, Iowa. Funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Kelley Pedersen on Saturday Afternoon December 3, 2016, at 2:00 P.M. at the First Presbyterian Church in Audubon, Iowa. Interment will be in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon. The casket bearers will be Gary Bertelsen, Justice Davis, Lathan Davis, Darrin “Bubba” Heller, Rachel Asmus, Timothy Asmus, and Darrin Asmus.