Charlene Nilges

Charlene Mae Nilges age 82 of Fredericksburg, Iowa passed away Tuesday, October 4, 2016, at Whispering Willow Assisted Living in Fredericksburg. Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m., October 7, 2016, at Peace United Church of Christ, Fredericksburg, with Pastor Burt Williams Presiding. Interment will be in Union Mound Cemetery, Sumner, IA. Friends may greet the family 4:00 – 7:00 p.m., October 6, 2016, at the Hugeback - Johnson Funeral Home in Fredericksburg. Visitation continues an hour prior to the service at the church on October 7, 2016. Charlene Mae Nilges was born October 29, 1933, in Gilmore City, IA, the daughter of Harmon and Hazel (Kee) Benson. Charlene attended school at Gilmore City through the 11th grade. She graduated from Fort Dodge High School in 1951. After graduation she worked at Safeway, in the business office at Tabins and at Couch’s News Agency. Charlene married Dean E. Nilges on January 19, 1958, at the Ottosen Presbyterian Church in Ottosen, IA. To this union two children were born; Paul in 1959 and Larry in 1962. Dean and Charlene lived on a farm in Britt, IA. Dean & Charlene then moved to Sumner, IA in 1959 to farm until retirement. They enjoyed their farm life and community. The couple retired in 1994 on an acreage south of Fredericksburg. Many retirement years were spent traveling and camping, spending winters in Texas, Arizona and Florida. They also enjoyed a two month long trip to Mexico with good friends who kept together through the years. Charlene was a 30-plus year member of the American Legion Auxiliary in Sumner, a 50-plus year member of the Order of the Eastern Star, New Hampton, Peace United Church of Christ, Fredericksburg and the Red Hat Club. Left to cherish Charlene’s memory are her two sons, Paul (Linda) Nilges of Tripoli and Larry (Karman) Nilges of Sumner; grandchildren, Tiffany (Mitch) Coffin, Cody Nilges, Kelsey Nilges; great-grandson, Jett Coffin. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Dean on January 11, 2014.