Orville Wayne Nelson

Orville Nelson, 91, of West Des Moines, died Thursday, March 16, 2017, at Fountain West Health Care Center in West Des Moines. Funeral services will be 10:30 AM Saturday, March 18, at McCalley Funeral Home in Adel. His family will receive friends 1 hour prior to the service on Saturday. As per his wishes, his body will be cremated with his cremains being interred in the Oakdale Cemetery in Adel at a later date. Orville was born on February 14, 1926 at Hartley, Iowa to James and Daisy (DeWitt) Nelson. He grew up on his parent’s farm around Royal, Iowa and went to a one room school for 8 years and then graduated from Royal High School. After attending Minot State College in Minot, North Dakota for 3 semesters and then the University of California at Berkley, CA for 1 semester, Orville spent 2 years at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, graduating in 1949. Between high school and college, Orville enlisted in the United States Navy V-12 program for 16 months and spent the last 10 months of his service at the Farragut Naval Training Station in Idaho. In February of 1950, Orville married Bernice Mackey. To this union were born three children. In 1976, Orville married Marjorie Myers and added three step-children to his family. Orville worked for farm cooperatives for 37 years. He was a manager for 33 years having worked at Scranton, IA, Worthington, MN, Iowa City, IA, and Hinton, IA. He retired in 1986. Following retirement Orville spent winters in South Texas and summers at Leach Lake, MN. He also lived a short time in Mesa, AZ. Before moving to Fountain West Health Care Center, Orville lived at the Lodge of Ashworth. Orville is survived by his wife, Marjorie; daughters, Carol Nelson and John of Dallas, TX, and Mary Guthrie and Gene of Shoreview, MN; son, Mike Nelson and Jan of Minneapolis, MN; step-sons, Ron Myers and Tammy of West Des Moines, Keith Myers and Beckie of Clive, and Jack Myers and Cindy of Sheldon; and several grandchildren and great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Donald Nelson. Memorials may be given to the Alzheimer’s Association. Online condolences may be left on this site. McCalley Funeral Home in Adel is in charge of arrangements.