Christine Mae “Chris” (Leary) Nelson

Christine Mae “Chris”

(Leary) Nelson

Independence

Christine Mae “Chris” (Leary) Nelson, 72 years old, of Independence, Iowa, died Thursday, October 2, 2025, at her home in Independence after a courageous battle with cancer.

Funeral Services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, October 8, 2025, at the First Presbyterian Church, Independence, with burial at Cedar Crest Cemetery in Jesup, Iowa.

Visitation will be 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at the First Presbyterian Church in Independence.

Chris was born December 16, 1952, in Waterloo, Iowa, the daughter of Raymond Roger Leary and Mabel Ingeborg (Petersen) Leary. She attended school in Independence and graduated from Jefferson High School with the Class of 1971. She continued her education at the Allen Memorial Hospital School of Nursing and graduated as a Registered Nurse.

Chris is survived by her husband, Dave Nelson of Independence; four sons, Roger Johnson and Mike (Jana) Johnson, all of Independence, Brian (Michelle) Nelson of Andover, Minnesota, Jeff Nelson of Independence; 12 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild; her step-mother, Erma Leary of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; four sisters, Joan (Keith) Oliphant of Vinton, Iowa, Betty (John) Decker of Walker, Iowa, Janice Morris of Vinton, Joyce (Ben) Decker of Victoria, Texas; one sister-in-law, Deb Nelson of Independence; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and one brother-in-law, Cleveland “Buck” Morris.

Arrangements by White Funeral Home, Independence.