Nancy Lee Nissen Deselms, 93, died Thursday, February 15th at the Regent Park Nursing Home in Holyoke, Colorado.
Nancy was born May 28, 1930, in Oxford, Nebraska to William J. and Bernice (Rhynalds) Nissen. She graduated from Oxford High School, Oxford, Nebraska in 1948 and married her high school sweetheart Don Deselms in 1952. She attended Hastings College in Hastings, Nebraska and taught elementary school in Lexington and Hemingford, Nebraska before beginning her career as a fulltime mother and homemaker as a mother of three children.
Nancy and Don moved to Chadron in 1963 where Don was employed at Chadron State College until his retirement in 1992. Nancy was active in her community as a 75-year member of the Order of the Eastern Star, a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and Grace Episcopal Church. She enjoyed playing bridge, golfing, baking, gardening and refinishing and collecting antiques and spending time with her children and grandchildren.
She was predeceased by her husband Don of almost 60 years and her son Bert Deselms of Omaha. She is survived by her children Jay (Deb) Deselms of Platteville, Colorado, and Cyd (Rod) Hanson of Chappell, Nebraska, grandchildren Jessica Deselms (Jerry Feitz) of Ottawa, Kansas, Sarah Deselms of Omaha, Samantha (Kolbe) Pfingsten of Plymouth, Nebraska, Alexandra Deselms of Cody, Wyoming, and Lucas (Sierra) Hanson of Chappell, Nebraska. Six great-grandchildren, Maddison Deselms, Kherington, Kooper and Kora Pfingsten, and Sutton and Ashby Hanson. She is also survived by one sister, Carol Veldhuisen of Portland, Oregon, two brothers-in-law, Harold (Barb) Deselms of Pueblo, Colorado and Derald Deselms of Grand Island and numerous nieces and nephews.
Services will be held at Grace Episcopal Church, 450 Bordeaux Street, Chadron at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, February 26.