Hazel Grace Nelson, the daughter of Brandon Lee and Jacqueline Nicole (Shellberg) Nelson, was born June 23, 2017, in Omaha, NE. She died March 27, 2020, at Children’s Hospital in Omaha, NE, at the age of 2 years, 9 months, and 4 days.
Hazel lived on her family’s farm where she loved riding horses, being outdoors, playing with her dogs and newborn puppies, feeding cattle, riding in tractors, and swinging. Hazel loved her brothers very much and the highlight of her day was when they came home from school and daycare. She loved her nurses who took care of her. And she was known to visit the Dew Drop Inn, whenever she could.
Hazel was an inspiration to many people. She will be greatly missed.
Hazel is preceded in death by her uncle Jacob Shellberg; her great grandparents, Loyd and Margaret O’Neill, Gus and Pauline Nelson, Dewey Shellberg, and Larry Marxen.
Hazel is survived by her parents Brandon and Jackie Nelson of Minden, IA; her brothers: Jacob, Cooper, and Stockton; her grandparents: Gary and Julie Nelson of Minden, IA, Tami Shellberg and companion Bob of Minden, IA, and Todd Shellberg and wife Karen of Carson, IA; her great grandparents, Gloria Shellberg of Oakland, IA, and Zelda Marxen of Ankeny, IA; her Aunts and Uncles: Sara Wallace of Smithville, MO, Brian Nelson and wife Jennifer of Neola, IA, and Matthew Nelson and Whitney Dailey of Shelby, IA. She is also survived by many cousins, great aunts, great uncles, other relatives, and an abundance of friends.
Due to state and federal guidance on gatherings because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be a drive by visitation at the Rieken Vieth Funeral Home on Tuesday, March 31, 2020, from 3-7 PM. Please use Chautauqua Avenue from Highway 59 and turn east on Freeman Street. We ask that you drive north through the funeral home driveway. PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE YOUR CARS. The family will be outside to greet you from a proper distance. We ask that you sign the guest register at www.riekenfuneralhome.com . In lieu of flowers, please bring a children’s book to donate to Children’s Hospital. Also, if you would like to make a heart with a memory/note written on it and your name, please attach it to a piece of string or yarn, and we will hang it in a tree at the funeral home. You may also make yard sign to put in the funeral home yard.
Due to state and federal guidance on gatherings because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a drive-up funeral will be held at Hazel’s ranch on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, at 1:00 PM. 20761 330th Street, Minden, Iowa 51553. Please park where you are directed. You must stay in your cars for the duration of your time at the house. Be prepared to be in your vehicles for at least 90 minutes. Restrooms will not be available. Please help us in following these rules. We will be broadcasting the service on Facebook live on our Rieken Vieth Funeral Home page.
Interment will be in the Oaklawn Cemetery. Rieken Vieth Funeral Home in Oakland is assisting the family with arrangements.
