The funeral Service for Norval K. Nelson, of Albert Lea, will be at 1:30 p.m. on Friday at Ascension Lutheran Church in Albert Lea. The Rev. Mark Boorsma will officiate. Interment will be in Graceland Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday at Bonnerup Funeral Service and one hour before the service at the church.

Norval died on Friday, Jan. 18, 2013, at St. John’s Lutheran Home. He was 97.

He was born on Aug. 17, 1915, in Albert Lea, the son of Jens and Borghild (Heggelund) Nelson. Norval attended school in Freeborn. He married Helen M. Nelson on June 1, 1939, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Albert Lea.

Throughout his life Norval had farmed near Freeborn, Ellendale and then north of Albert Lea since 1942.

Norval and Helen had enjoyed spending their winters in Arizona for 31 years.

He was a member of Ascension Lutheran Church. Norval enjoyed singing in the church choirs in Minnesota and Arizona. He enjoyed woodworking, fishing, hunting and spending time up north. Norval and Helen took a trip of a lifetime in 1980 when they visited Norway and Denmark, the land of their forefathers.

Norval is survived by two children, Richard (Karen) Nelson and Carolyn (Dean) Wangen all of Albert Lea; grandchildren, Roger (Kathy) Nelson of Oakland, Iowa, Gary (Anne) Nelson of Hutchinson, Jeff (Kim) Nelson of Albert Lea, Todd (Tina) Wangen of Elgin, Travis (Teresa) Wangen of Ellendale and Trent Wangen of Hartland; great-grandchildren, Joshua Nelson, Kirsten Nelson, Alec Nelson, Jenna Nelson, Andrew Nelson, Adam Nelson, Sydney Nelson, Zachary Wangen, Spencer Wangen, Christian Wangen, Grace Wangen and Mason Wangen; brother, Walter Nelson of Calif.; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Orville Wittmer of Emerald, Wis., Arnold (Erma) Levisen, Myron (Pat) Levisen, Maurine Levisen, Ruth “Dolly” Levisen, all of Albert Lea, LaVerne Nelson of Afton; many nieces, nephew and cousins in Denmark and Norway and cousin, Viola Nelsen, of Albert Lea.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 73 years, Helen, his parents, twin sons in infancy, sister, Eleanor Wittmer, brothers Joy and Kermit Nelson, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Doris Levisen in infancy, Lillian Bro and her husband Ingward, Thorvald Levisen and his wife Irine, Donald Levisen and his wife Lorraine, Earl Levisen and Paul Levisen.

The family would like to thank St. John’s Lutheran Home for all the care given to Norval in the last months.