Dale D. Nelson

Dale D Nelson, 92, well known auctioneer, of Pender, NE, passed away Monday, November 19, 2018 at the Pender Community Hospital. A Mass of Christian Burial will be Saturday, November 24, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. at St. John’s Catholic Church in Pender; Father Gerald Leise will be the celebrant. The visitation will be Friday, November 23, 2018 from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. with a wake service beginning at 7:00 p.m. at St. John’s Catholic Church. The burial will be in Rosehill Pender. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family for future designation. Arrangements are under the direction of Munderloh-Smith Funeral Home in Pender.

Dale was born April 22, 1926 to Gehard and Marian (Nielsen) Nelson in Maskell, NE. He attended school in Maskell and joined the U.S. Army on March 15, 1945 until being honorably discharged December 23, 1946. While serving in Korea, Dale started his auctioneering career and also toured with the Army All-star baseball team to the South Pacific. He played for the Korean All-stars in Rizad Stadium in Seoul.

Dale married Catherine Cadwallader on February 12, 1953 in Hubbard, NE. The couple lived in Ponca for a time before moving to Maskell until 1963 and had five children. Dale joined the auction firm Smith McGill and Robertson on November 22, 1963, the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The family moved to Pender in 1964. Upon his arrival, Dale spent his time at the weekly Pender and West Point Livestock Auctions, along with hundreds of retirement and estate auctions. Dale attended his last real estate auction on October 26, 2018. He saw land sell from $130.00 to $13,000.00 an acre during his 70 year career.

One of his proudest accomplishments was to initiate a group to develop Twin Creeks Golf Club. He enjoyed playing golf with anybody, especially in his later years when he would hit the ball farther than his eyes could see. Dale enjoyed vacations in Minnesota for 55 years. Most of all, Dale loved talking to his kids, grandkids, and others who came to visit around the kitchen table. He would give advice to the grandkids on how he would do things.

He is survived by his wife, Catherine Nelson of Pender, NE; daughters, Beckie (Steve) Gutzmann of Emerson, NE, Shari (Tony) Henschke of Pender, NE; sons, Clay (Tami) Nelson of Pender, NE, Tim (Brenda) Nelson of Lexington, NE, Brian (Lori) Nelson of Pender; sister, Leona Bottorff of Ponca, NE; 15 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Mavis Nelson of Ponca, NE and Margie Cadwallader of Pender, NE.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Gehard and Marian Nelson.