Nellie’s Obituary Nellie Harken, age 94, of Austinville, Iowa, was born the daughter of John G. and Grace (DeBoer) Abbas on July 25, 1924, at home in rural Aplington, Butler County, Iowa. She received her education and graduated from the Aplington High School in 1940. Nellie taught as a substitute teacher prior to marriage.
On September 14, 1944, Nellie was united in marriage with Raymond I. Harken at the Ackley Christian Reformed Church, Ackley, Iowa. The couple made their home and farmed near Austinville on their current place most of the years. Along with being a homemaker she was a 4-H leader and also had been a past president of Butler County 4-H.
The couple were reporters of power outages for REC for many years. She also sold Beeline Fashions, she worked at Big Chief in Ackley, until they closed, when she was at the age of 78 years at that time. She loving babysat her grandchildren until they started school.
Nellie was an active and faithful member of Austinville Christian Reformed Church in Austinville, Iowa and was also a former member of West Friesland Church, rural Ackley. During this time, she played the organ at both churches, taught Sunday school, and was active in Ladies Aide and Bible studies. Through the years she enjoyed square dancing with Raymond and playing the accordion.
She enjoyed embroidering, crocheting, tending to her flowers, gardening, reading and putting together puzzles. She especially loved her family and enjoyed the times when they would all gather together. Nellie went to be with her Lord on Monday, March 4, 2019, at the Grundy County Memorial Hospital in Grundy Center, Iowa, from natural causes.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond I. Harken; her parents; one sister, Mary Hippen; and one brother, Bobby Abbas. Nellie is survived by three sons, Larry (Celia) Harken of Aplington, Harold (Peg) Harken of Ankeny, and Del (Barb) Harken of Ankeny; one daughter, Sharon (Jon) Olson of Greeley, CO; three grandchildren, Celena (Benjamin) Vesely, Kasey (Bree) Harken and Christopher (Kristy) Harken; nine great-grandchildren, Samuel, Elijah, Sarah and Michael Vesely, Alayna, Jaxon, Halle, Drew and Owen Harken; five step-grandchildren, Rebecca Loveall, Bethany Burke) Ward, Ryan (Anna) Olson, Rachel (Greg) Pankewicz, and Joshua Olson; 17 step great-grandchildren; and one brother, John Jerry (Lucille) Abbas of Wellsburg. Funeral Services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, at the Austinville Christian Reformed Church with burial in the Memorial Park Cemetery, both Austinville, Iowa.
Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Thursday, at the Redman-Schwartz Funeral Home in Parkersburg, (319)346-1534, and one hour before services at the church. Memorials may be directed to the Austinville Christian Reformed Church. Redman-Schwartz Funeral Chapel in Aplington is in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences may be left at www.
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