Erna Clara (Brase) Oeltjen Nelson, 97 years of age, of Beatrice, passed away at Parkview Center in Beatrice Saturday morning, June 27, 2009.

She was born on July 8, 1911, at Ruskin, Neb., to Martin and Laura (Deterding) Brase. She moved with her family to a farm west of Beatrice in 1920 and later moved into Beatrice. She was baptized, confirmed and went to school at the Trinity Lutheran Church, rural Beatrice. Erna and August Oeltjen were married from March 3, 1938, until he passed away in 1978, and was married to Wayne Nelson from Nov. 14, 1981, until he passed away in 2000.

She had worked at JC Penney’s for 20 years, retiring in 1973, and also did sewing and alterations. She was a member of the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Beatrice and a former member of the Ladies Aid and LWML at the church; and was a former member of the American Legion Auxiliary, the Walther League and Missionary League. Erna enjoyed flowers, gardening, sewing and especially enjoyed traveling.

Survivors include three sons, Martin Oeltjen of Lodi, Calif., Ramon Oeltjen and wife Jan of Sargent, Neb., and David Oeltjen and wife Jenny of Winfield, Kan.; three daughters, Elaine Girl and husband Mel of Casa Grande, Ariz., Jane Oeltjen of Beatrice, and Ruth Engelhaupt and husband Don of Denver; 12 grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren, stepgrandchildren and step great-grandchildren; stepson, Larry Nelson of Fair Oaks, Calif.; stepdaughter, Susan Halverson of Washington state; brother, Gilbert Brase of Olinda, Calif.; and three sisters, Gertrude Epperson and husband Walter of Wichita, Kan., Mildred Hill of Pittsburg, Kan., and Margaret Schroeder of Wichita, Kan. Erna was preceded in death by her parents, Martin and Laura (Deterding) Brase; husbands, August Oeltjen and Wayne Nelson; daughter, Marlene Oeltjen; and three brothers and five sisters.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 1, at the St. Paul Lutheran Church, 10th and High, Beatrice, with the Rev. Douglas Irmer officiating. Interment will be in the Evergreen Home Cemetery. The body will lie in state Tuesday from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. at the Griffiths-Hovendick Chapel, Sixth and Washington, Beatrice, and at the church one hour preceding the service on Wednesday. A family prayer service will be held at 10:15 a.m. Wednesday at the church. A memorial has been established to the church with Ivan and Mary Ann Stohs in charge. Online sympathy messages may be left at www.griffithshovendick.com. These services have been entrusted to the Griffiths-Hovendick Chapel in Beatrice.