Nelda Loviene Knowlton

Nelda Loviene Knowlton

Central City

Nelda Loviene Knowlton, 96, of Central City, Iowa, passed away on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, at St. Luke’s Transitional Care Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Family will greet friends and family from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Central City, Iowa. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 20, 2023, at the United Church of Christ, located at 38 N. Fifth St. in Central City. The Reverend Vicki Engelmann will officiate. Burial will follow at Mount Clark Cemetery in Central City.

Nelda was born on Aug. 19, 1926, in Anamosa, Iowa, the daughter of Richard “Dick” and Ethel (Dragoo) Betzer. She was a 1943 graduate of Central City High School. On Jan. 7, 1945, Nelda was united in marriage to LeRoy Ralph Knowlton in Central City. To this union, two daughters were born, Janet Eileen and JoAnn Elaine. After their daughters entered high school, Nelda went to work at Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, until she fell and broke her hip. She later joined the Green Thumb Program and worked at the Central City Community Schools as a Teacher’s Aide and an Assistant Librarian at the J.C. Clegg Library.

Nelda loved working with children. She was a Blue Bird and Camp Fire Leader, she taught Sunday school, and also helped with Vacation Bible School at the United Church of Christ in Central City. Nelda was very crafty. She loved to knit, crochet, quilt, and make rag dolls. Nelda made quilts and afghans for her children, grandchildren, and friends. She also was an avid gardener and enjoyed working in her flower gardens. Nelda will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Nelda is survived and lovingly remembered by her two daughters, Janet (Floyd) Wheeler of Crawfordsville, Ind., and JoAnn (Dennis) Beasley of Central City; four grandchildren, Brian Wheeler, Brandon (Amanda) Wheeler, Tina (Jeff) Vanourney and Tara (Enrique) Garcia; eight great-grandchildren, Justin (Carley) Wheeler, Bradley Wheeler, Jaime (Autumn) Vanourney, Kaise (Blake) McDonell, Jennifer Vanourney, Ian Garcia, Elena Garcia and Emelia Garcia; eight great-great-grandchildren, Cameron “CJ” Wheeler, Remeigh Wheeler, Hunter Wheeler, Audrey Vanourney, Rhett Vanourney, Claira McDonell, Dalhia Cloven and Jack Cloven; one brother, Arnold Betzer; two sisters, Eileen (James) Moehnke and Wilda (Chuck) Kress; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, LeRoy Knowlton; two sisters, Myrta (Burl) Andrews and Joan (Robert) Simmen; one brother, Richard (Orlena) Betzer; and two sisters-in-law, Deanna Betzer and Debra Betzer.

Memorials in Nelda’s memory may be made to the family to be designated later.

Please share a memory of Nelda at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.