Rojean Nelson

A Funeral Service for RoJean E. Nelson will be held on Friday, December 16, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. at the Fridhem Lutheran Church in Funk, Nebraska, with Pastor Daren Popple officiating.  Interment will follow at the Prairie Home Cemetery, at Holdrege, Nebraska.

The funeral service will be live streamed and posted to the Fridhem Lutheran Church Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064551498381

RoJean Evelyn Nelson, 95 years of age, of rural Wilcox, Nebraska, passed away on Saturday, December 10, 2022, at the Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege.  RoJean was born on October 20, 1927, at a farm home 11 miles south of Wilcox, in Franklin County, the eldest of seven daughters born to August and Anna (Adam) Jesse.  She was baptized at her parent's home by Reverend E.A. Stein of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hildreth.  She was later confirmed by Reverend C.A. Noffke of the Our Redeemer Lutheran Church of Ash Grove.

RoJean attended grades, 1 ^st through 8 ^th , at Pleasant View Country School, located south of Wilcox.  She then attended and graduated from Wilcox High School with the class of 1945.  RoJean studied her teaching credentials at Kearney State Teaching College for six summers and taught school for two years in a rural school, southeast of Hildreth, Rosebud District #73.  She then taught in Wilcox for six years and substitute taught for many years after.

On August 13, 1950, RoJean was united in marriage to Ward S. Nelson at the St. John's Lutheran Church in Wilcox and this union was blessed with two sons: Kevin and Kirk.  The family made their home and farmed in the Wilcox area.  RoJean then worked at Jim Reiss Agency in Wilcox, Sostad Insurance Agency in Holdrege, Dan's Sanitation in Holdrege, and Latter Sanitation in Wilcox.

She started bowling in 1951, when her husband was in the Army and bowled for 60 years until health problems did not permit.  She served as Secretary and President of the Holdrege Bowling Association for many years.  She also served on the Nebraska State Women's Bowling Association for 32 years as the Director, Sgt. At Arms, First Vice President, and then President for six years.  She was later inducted into the Nebraska State Women's Bowling Hall of Fame.  She attended 33 National Bowling Tournaments in many cities in the United States.  She bowled in the NWBA for 53 years and continued her interest in bowling until her death, even though she could no longer bowl.

RoJean was a charter member of the Wilcox Lioness Club and active for with the club for many years.  She also belonged to the North Lake Club, which she very much enjoyed visiting with neighbors once a month.  She was active with the Phelps County Democratic Women's group a number of years and served as the Secretary and Treasurer, during those years.

RoJean loved working outdoors in the summer with her flourishing flower garden.  She and Ward attended many International Lions Conventions, including one in Japan in 1969, when their sons were able to accompany them.  She enjoyed traveling to Lions Conventions in various cities.  RoJean wrote the newsletters for the Lions Club when her husband was Secretary and also for the Lioness Club and Democratic Women, for a number of years.  She was a member of the Fridhem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Funk, where she also taught Sunday school for many years.

The family enjoyed camping and spending many summers at Harlan Dam with their camper.  They later bought a trailer at North Shore Marina and enjoyed spending summers there.  In 2014, she bought a new trailer where her grandchildren and all the family enjoyed time spent together.  Most of all, RoJean loved to attend her grandchildren's activities and was so very proud of them.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Stanley and Eva (Matson) Nelson; her husband, Ward S. Nelson, in 2013; three sisters:  Barbara Sanders and husband, Leon; Doris Jesse; and Mariann Davisson and husband, Delbert; three brothers-in-law:  Dale Johnsen; Gary Heimsoth; and Dale Nelson and wives, Idella and Winne; and sister-in-law, Bonnie Collison and husband, Jim.

RoJean is survived by her sons, Kevin Nelson and Kirk Nelson and his wife, Christy, all of rural Wilcox; four grandchildren:  Heather Hohlfeld and her husband, Adam of Holdrege; Jenessa Keiser and her husband, Beau of Lincoln, Nebraska; Matthew Nelson of Holdrege; and Michael Nelson and his fiancée, Lexie Urbom of Holderge; four great-grandchildren:  Ava and Barrett Hohlfeld; and Jacoby and Lenyn Keiser; sisters: Betty Hunt and her husband, Ron of Hildreth; Marilyn Heimsoth of Omaha; and Augusta Johnsen of Wilcox; along with many extended family members.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, December 15, 2022 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege with the family greeting from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.