Judith Nelsen

Information taken from the May 2009 Alumni Booklet

Significant Other:  Lloyd Cyre

Children:  3 daughters, Leslie Lynn, Laurie Leigh and Kelly Denelle

Grandchildren: 7 (one died soon after birth) John and Joe Kuklinski (Leslie's); Taylor and Haylie (Laurie's); Josh Wyland, Drew and Kyleigh Retzlaff (Kelly's).

Pet:  Maggie Moo (Rat Terrier)

     After High School I attended Wayne State Teacher's College and did well, but I just wasn't "in" to more schooling at the time.  I went to work in the big city of Omaha for Woodmen of the World and worked for them for 5 years.  During that 5 years I married my best friend, Wayne Wyland from Onawa and we had two daughters, Leslie and Laurie.  I stayed at home after Laurie was born and enjoyed being "just a Mom" for a few years.  Another daughter, Kelly, was born in 1971.  My husband worked at Safeway as a Produce Manager and Assistant Manager and part-time at a neighborhood service station.  The part-time job became a full-time job and he left Safeway.  In 1972 the owners of the service station decided to sell the station and wanted Wayne and me to be the new owners.  Wayne ran the business and I did the books at home, so I could be with the kids.  About 3 years in to this, I decided that I could help save money by working at the station.  I pumped gas (before self-service), washed dirty windshields, checked oil, aired up low tires and also took care of the lobby area and scheduled appointments.  It was fun (except in the winter) and I met a lot of nice people and a lot of horrible people.  

     We owned the station at 79th and Blondo for 21 years before selling the property and business.  I purchased a computer and some books and taught myself enough to get a "real job" with Ag Processing (a soybean processing company with it's headquarters in Omaha) in the Accounts Payable Department.  Wayne went to work at an after market, air conditioning repair shop and about a year and a half later became ill with lung cancer and died in 1996.  I kept working and did some traveling with my sisters and then later traveled with a lady friend.  Our biggest trip was to Hawaii, but the most memorable was probably to Door County in Wisconsin and Mackinac Island in Michigan.  In fact, on our way to Mackinac Island, we took a train tour in to Canada and were on our way back on September 11, 2001 when the Trade Center was hit.  We didn't know whether or not they were going to let us back in to the good old USA.

     I worked at Ag Processing for 14 years before retiring in 2007.  I met my significant other, Lloyd, in 2000 and after retirement, I sold my house in Omaha and  we moved to the Lake of the Ozarks.  I do not miss the city, as I grew up on a farm and really enjoy the peace and quiet at the lake (except in the summer, there is no such thing as QUIET).  I take an oil painting class once a month, do a lot of gardening in the spring and summer, bowl on Friday mornings, golf whenever I get the chance, do a little gambling at the Casino in Boonville, dabble in scrap-booking, try to play organ keyboard, read and loaf a lot!  We adopted a rat terrier last year (or I should say, she adopted us).  Her name is Maggie Moo.  She has cow like markings, so the name fit so we kept it.  She and I go for a long walk every morning, rain, snow or sunshine.  As you can see, I'm just enjoying retirement.

     I don't see my daughters and their families as much as I would like but we stay in contact via the phone and they come to visit at the lake where they can enjoy boating and fishing and just be lazy.

 

 

HOME

Back to Roster Page