A Visitation will be held from 12 noon to 2 pm Saturday, January 4, 2020 with funeral to follow at the Weerts Funeral Home in Davenport, Iowa. Donna will be interned in a private ceremony on Monday, January 6, 2020, next to her husband John C. Nelson at the Rock Island National Cemetery on Arsenal Island, Rock Island, Illinois.
Donna was born March 13, 1931 in Davenport, Iowa to Mary E. (Kline) Gerdts and Harold R. Gerdts. She graduated from Davenport High School in 1948. Before graduating from high school, she started working for Bell Telephone Company as a switchboard operator. On October 6, 1951, Donna Charlene Gerdts married John Clifford “Cliff” Nelson. They lovingly raised five children and enjoyed 66 happy years of marriage. Donna had the traditional role of raising her family along with the non-traditional role of career woman. She retired from AT&T in 1990. Donna was a lifelong member of the Telephone Pioneers of America. In their retirement years, Donna and husband Cliff traveled the United States and the world.
Donna had a lifelong passion for creating extraordinary works of art with needle, thread and fabric. She is a lifelong member and past president of Embroiders Guild of America. She loved to enter her pieces in the Mississippi Valley Fair, Iowa State Fair and other competitions, at which her work won many awards. Donna’s social calendar was always full visiting friends at the Fountains, maintaining her card playing skills at card club and hosting a group of ladies to stitch at her home. Volunteering at the New Hope Presbyterian Food Bank to help others in need was also highly important to Donna.
Donna is preceded in death by her parents, Harold R. Gerdts and Mary E. (Kline) Gerdts; an infant brother; her brother, Pastor Gene Gerdts; her sister-in-law Barb (Gerdts) Mitzelfeldt and her husband John Clifford “Cliff” Nelson.
Surviving family members include her children; John (Cheryl) Nelson, Holly Tappendorf, Shelley Simon, Tracey Bailey, Mark (Teresa) Nelson; her nephew, Ty (Jennifer) Rudisaile and her niece, Lori (Brian) Humble, along with 5 great nieces and nephews, 10 grandchildren, and 1 great grandchild.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House at give.genesishealth.com or New Hope Presbyterian Food Pantry or Mission Starfish Haiti.
