Keith Nielsen

KEITH NIELSEN

Anamosa

Keith Nielsen, 76, died Monday, Dec. 22, 2014, at his home surrounded by his family following a long and courageous battle with Parkinson's disease. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 26, at the St. Patrick Catholic Church, Anamosa. A parish vigil service at

9 a.m. will start the visitation that will continue until 11 a.m. Friday at the Goettsch Funeral Home, Anamosa. Interment will be in the Antioch Cemetery with military honors.

Thoughts, memories and condolences may be left at www.goettschonline.com.

Surviving are his wife, Margaret; two children, Andy (Sabrina) Nielsen, Savanah, Ga., and Sandy (Timothy) Nye, Cedar Rapids; six grandchildren, Desiree, Pamela, Margaret Grace, Brandon, Kenneth L. and Roxanne; three great-grandchildren, Vanessa, Shannon and Caleb; his brother, Larry Nielsen of Anamosa; and two sisters, Elaine Mallicoat, Lisbon, and Ruth Woods, Marion.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Keith Nielsen was born Aug. 10, 1938, at John McDonald Hospital in Monticello, Iowa. He was the son of Andrew and Ruth Watters Nielsen. Keith attended the Antioch grade school near his home. He finished his education at the Anamosa Community Schools graduating with the class of 1956. He served in the United States Army Reserve from 1958 until 1964.

Keith married Margaret Starks on Nov. 14, 1959, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Monticello. The couple rented a farm in the Antioch area near Anamosa that they later purchased. They added to their total number of acres to farm with the purchase of the Nielsen family farm in the 1970s. They retired from active farming in 2003. Keith was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church and the Farm Bureau.

The family would like to thank Above and Beyond Hospice and Lynn Merfeld for all the wonderful care and comfort that has been given to them an Keith during this difficult time.