Funeral services for Bernadine E. Nelsen, 79, of Albert Lea, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Grace Lutheran Church. The Rev. Jeff Wallager and the Rev. John Henriksen will officiate. Interment will be in the Hillcrest Cemetery. Visitation is from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home and one hour prior to the services at the church. To sign the guest book, goto www.bayviewfuneral.com

Bernadine died Tuesday, May 15, 2007, at Albert Lea Medical Center.

Bernadine E. Lindell Nelsen was born Aug. 30, 1927, to Andrew and Mary (Rasmussen) Egsgaard on a small farm near Cahill. Together with her sister, Marie, and brother, Gerald, they walked a mile to a one-room schoolhouse. The girls brought their dolls and played with them during recess and the boys played ball even then. When Bernadine was in third grade, the family moved to a farm near Eden Prairie. There they caught a bus to school. The school was new and set in the midst of farmland. Now all of this area is high-rise apartments and beautiful homes. In 1942, the family moved again, this time to a farm they bought at Pine City. There were lots of Swedes but not many Danes in this area. After high school, Bernadine worked as a bookkeeper for McKay Oil Co.

She met and married Norm Lindell in 1946. They were happily married for 50 years, working at different jobs and coming to Albert Lea in 1956 when Streater started business here &045; lots of Danes in this town! They joined Grace Lutheran Church and took part in its activities as the church grew and was completed. Bernadine was active in many ways at Grace Lutheran. Norm died Dec. 2, 1996.

In the summer of 2003, Bernadine met Robert E. Nelsen at the Senior Citizen&8217;s Center. They were married at Casa del Sol in Donna, Texas, Feb. 24, 2004, and lived in Albert Lea, where they attended Bethlehem Lutheran Church and lived happily ever after.

Survivors include her husband, Robert E. &8220;Bud&8221; Nelsen; daughter, Iris and her husband, Gary Goodnature and their children, Vicki (Tim) Nelson and Tom (Angie) Goodnature; son, Scott and his wife, Lori Lindell and their children, Erik Lindell and Kirsten Lindell; daughter, Irene and her husband, Eugene Anderson and their children, Tammy (John) Krowiorz, Jesse (Rita) Anderson, and Andy (Nyna) Anderson; daughter, Cori and her husband, Mike Martinson and their children, Zac (Candice) Martinson, Travis Martinson, and Jordan Martinson; great-grandchildren: Halli Nelson, Anthony &8220;A. J.&8221; and Ashley Krowiorz, Kari, Hannah, Lane, and Isaiah Anderson, Christopher and Aurora Anderson, and David and Nolyn Martinson; sister, Marie Peterson; brother, Gerald Egsgaard; sisters and brothers-in-law: Lil Lindell, Wally and Bonita Lindell, Merle and Marion Lindell, and Rodney and Mary Lindell; and step children: Judy (Bill) Raatz, Gene (Linda) Nelsen, Mary Anne (Karl) Rollar, Brian (Denise) Nelsen, and Scott Nelsen.

Bernadine was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Norm.