James married Marilyn Joyce Schear on 8 Apr 1972 in Hampton, Franklin County, Iowa, USA. Marilyn was born on 19 Jan 1949 in Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Clint James Nelsen was born on 7 Feb 1975 in North Platte, Lincoln County, Nebraska, USA.
2. Neil Anthony Nelsen was born on 8 Jun 1978 in North Platte, Lincoln County, Nebraska, USA.

Notes:

I have so many wonderful memories of celebrating our birthdays together! Notoriously Uncle Marion would send a new Kitten home with me against my dad Robert Leroy Nelsen's wishes!!! Also I think I was 4-5 years old we were all together and Aunt Wanda made homemade spaghetti & meatballs I had this heaping amount of spaghetti thinking I'm not going to be able to eat it all loved the two of them, lots!!

Lori Laureen Tobiasson (nee Nelsen)on 11 May 2016

As kids, when grandpa was in the hospital in Omaha, dad left us three boys with Marion and Wanda. I remember playing with trucks on the back porch area. At any rate, sometime during the evening, my brother Jeremy went missing. Wanda frantically searched for him but since he was just a baby he couldn't get far and Marion wasn't too worried. Jeremy had managed to crawl behind the couch and wedged in there. They eventually found him. I always looked up to Marion and still picture Wanda as a Barbra Stanwick type from Big Valley.

Randy James Nelsen on 11th May 2016



Marion W. Nelsen was born May 11,1917 to Peter C .and Anna Elsie (Rossen) Nelsen on a farm north of Curtis, NE. As a small child they moved to a farm south of Curtis where he attended country school and then graduated from NSA in Curtis in 1937.

In 1941 he enlisted in the Air Force and was sent overseas in February of 1942. He was stationed in the South Pacific on Christmas Island, New Heberdies and Guadalcanal. He returned to the states June of 1944 and was stationed at Victorville Air Base, CA. He was later honorably discharged at Ft. Leavenworth in 1945.

He married Wanda Fratti October 20, 1945 in Detroit, Michigan. They returned to Curtis in 1947 and moved to a farm south of Curtis, living there 16 years. Their children Jim and Diane spent most of their young lives on this farm.

The family moved north of Curtis in 1963 and lived there until 1990 when Marion and Wanda retired and moved to North Platte, NE after 43 years of farming.
He was a life-time member of the American Legion and served on the school board of the Curtis Elementary School.

His family remembers his love of his children and grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He was responsible for many of them learning to drive an old stick shift car on their farm south of Curtis. He was also an avid sports fan traveling to three states to watch his grandsons and great nephew play football.

Marion was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers and their spouses Leroy and Velma Nelsen, Kenneth and Dolly Nelsen, sisters and spouses Margaret and Marvin Schmid, Doris and Gerald Awtry, nephew Dennis Awtry and most recently his wife of 64 years, Wanda Nelsen.

Survivors include his son Jim Nelsen and wife Marilyn of Marion, Iowa and daughter Diane Pollmann and husband Larry of McCook. Grandsons Clint (Mandi) Nelsen of Grimes, IA, Neil (Kelly) Nelsen of Indianola, IA, Darren (Courtney) Pollmann of McCook, NE and granddaughter Lisa Pollmann of McCook, NE. Great grandchildren Elle, Lane, Tyde, Aspen and Grady Nelsen and Olivia, Miles and Eileen Pollmann and a host of friends and relatives. 

Marion married Wanda Fratti on 20 Oct 1945 in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, USA. Wanda (daughter of Giuseppe Fratti and Elena Fulgari) was born on 7 Dec 1920 in Pavulo, Italy; died on 22 Feb 2010. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

TRENTON -- Wanda Nelsen, 89, formerly of Curtis, died Monday (Feb. 22, 2010) at El Dorado Manor in Trenton.

She was born Dec. 7, 1920 , to Giuseppe "Joseph" and Elena (Fulgari) Fratti at Pavulo, Italy. She and her mother joined her father in the United States in February, 1926. She graduated from Pershing High School in Detroit, Mich., in 1939. Upon completing high school she did secretarial work in the Detroit area.

On Oct. 20, 1945, she married Marion Nelsen in Detroit. She moved shortly after and lived on a farm south of Curtis for 16 years. She farmed north of Curtis from 1963 until 1990, at which time she retired and moved to North Platte. She worked at the Frontier county Extension office for several years and then went to work for the University of Nebraska School of Technical Agriculture, where she retired after 20 years. In June 1983, she was selected as the recipient of the award for the "Outstanding Employee of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources" which included the entire university system and the extension service.

She was preceded in death by her parents; step-father, Gildo Zuccarini; in-laws, Peter C. and Elsie Nelsen, Margaret and Marvin Schmid, Leroy and Velma Nelsen, Kenneth and Dolly Nelsen and Doris and Gerald Awtry.

Survivors include her husband of 64 years, Marion; son, James P. and wife, Marilyn Nelsen of Marion, Iowa; daughter, Diane and husband, Larry Pollmann of McCook; four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Memorial services will be Saturday, 10:30 a.m., at the Congregational United Church of Christ in Curtis with the Rev. Clark Bates officiating. Inurnment will be on Monday, 10:30 a.m., at Fort McPherson National Cemetery south of Maxwell.

Notes:

My fondest memory of Grandpa Pete was watching wrestling on T.V. at the retirement home in Curtis
Granddaughter Janice Nelsen, 11 Dec 2017

He was a man of few words but he was special! I remember lots of smiles and laughter!
Granddaughter Lori Tobiasson (nee Nelsen), 11 Dec 2017

Peter married Anna Elsie Rossen on 10 Mar 1916 in Ebenezer Church, Curtis, Frontier County, Nebraska, USA. Anna (daughter of Niels Jørgen Rossen and Anna Marie Jensen) was born on 1 Jun 1895 in Lincoln County, Nebraska, USA; died on 28 Jul 1984; was buried in Curtis Cemetery, Frontier County, Nebraska, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/tree/112577544/family?cfpid=180102848958

Giuseppe married Elena Fulgari. Elena (daughter of Ferdinando Fulgeri and Fortunato Succi) was born on 5 Jun 1894 in Italy; died on 29 Sep 1956. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Kristen married Else Marie Pedersen on 3 Jan 1886 in Hassing Kirke, Hassing Sogn, Hassing Herred, Thisted Amt. Else (daughter of Peder Kristian Kristensen Klomann and Karen Marie Nielsdatter Leegaard) was born on 14 Apr 1848 in Hassing Sogn, Hassing Herred, Thisted Amt; was christened on 24 Apr 1848 in Hassing Kirke; died on 12 Feb 1892 in Bedsted Sogn, Hassing Herred, Thisted Amt, Danmark; was buried on 19 Feb 1892 in Bedsted Kirke. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

My Mom (Pickle) remembers her Grandpa Rossen as being the nicest man who ever lived. He was a big guy who gave the best bear hugs and everybody in the Curtis area just loved him. He was a farmer when he first moved to the area and was the janitor at the school when he moved to town. She remembers when he got sick towards the end of his life, everyone in town went to visit him. Before he passed away, all of his children were at his bedside and he called them in for one last bear hug claiming there was room for everyone. When he had them all in his arms he told his wife Anna that he was going home. My Mom was 15 or 16 when he died and she remembers it as if it was yesterday. She also said he had the thickest, whitest hair. All of us Thomsens with thick hair can thank our Great Grandpa Jorgen.

Jennifer Snyder, September 2015

My mom Hilda Thomsen Edwards, Leachman was born in 1926. I asked her about Grandpa Rossen and she said when she was in HIgh School, she stayed with Grandpa Rossen in town because they lived in the country. She did this when she was a senior and she graduated in 1944. Mostly she remembers when Grandpa Rossen and his friends could not find enough people to play pinnochle, then they would have her play

Kathy Edwards, August 2015

Niels married Anna Marie Jensen on 22 Mar 1891 in Brede Kirke, Brede Sogn, Tønder Herred og Amt, Danmark. Anna (daughter of Søren Jensen and Ane Else Jensen) was born on 28 Apr 1863 in Kvaglund, Jerne Sogn, Skast Herred, Ribe Amt; was christened on 25 May 1863 in Jerne Kirke; died on 12 Jun 1937 in Curtis, Frontier County, Nebraska, USA; was buried on 15 Jun 1937 in Curtis Cemetery, Frontier County, Nebraska, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Pietro married Beatrice Degliantoni. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Ferdinando married Fortunato Succi. Fortunato was born in in Italy. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]