Obituary of Edna E. Nissen

Edna E. Nissen, 92 longtime resident of Wayne, NE died Tuesday, October 27, 2009, at a care center in Coralville, Iowa. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, October 30, 2009, at the Our Savior Lutheran Church in Wayne. Burial will be at the Laurel Cemetery, Laurel, NE. Visitation will be one hour prior to services at the church. In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established in her memory. Online condolences may be sent for her family through the web @ www.gayandciha.com. Edna Elizabeth Hansen was born April 23, 1917, in Laurel, NE the daughter of Louis and Margarethe (Jensen) Hansen. She attended and graduated from school in Laurel. On October 11, 1939, she was united in marriage to Laurits “Lars” P. Nissen in Laurel. The couple made their home in Wayne. Following the death of Lars in 1958, Edna began working for the Wayne Schools in the cafeteria, a position she had for many years. She moved from Wayne in 2006 to Coralville, Iowa where her daughter and son-in-law lived. In January of this year she moved to a care facility there in Coralville. She was a longtime member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Wayne and with Our Savior Lutheran Church after the two churches joined together. Edna enjoyed her time in the women’s group in church, cooking, baking, gardening, and most of all, her family. According to her, there wasn’t much better in life than being a grandmother and great-grandmother! Her family includes a son, Robert Nissen of Wayne; daughter and her husband, Shirlee and Randy Rogers of Coralville, IA; grandchildren, Tom (Brenda) Nissen, Mike (Kathy) Nissen, Pam Nissen, Rachelle (Sean) Spann, and Rob (Sara) Rogers; great-grandchildren Ben, Melissa, Jake, Brianna and Mackenzie Nissen; Dakota and Skylar Spann, and Gunner Rogers; and her sister-in-law, Norma Hansen of Wayne. Edna was preceded in death by her parents, 2 brothers and 3 sisters. Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service of Iowa City, IA and the Hasemann Funeral Home of Wayne, NE are caring for Edna’s family and her services.