Anna Mae Nation

July 26, 1944 - January 1, 2018

Anna Mae Nation, 73, of Oskaloosa, died Monday, January 1, 2018, at her home in Oskaloosa. She was born July 26, 1944, in Oskaloosa, Iowa, the daughter of Grover and Alletta (Van Wyk) Van Roekel. She attended West Weaver Country School through 8th grade. She graduated from Oskaloosa High School with the class of 1962. On March 5, 1965, she was united in marriage to Tommy Nelson at her parents’ home in Oskaloosa. To this union three children were born, Kevin, Mark, and Melinda. Anna and Tommy owned and operated Nelson’s Tire Shop in Oskaloosa. The two of them later divorced. She then went to work at Design Homes in Oskaloosa, where she met Bill Hart. On February 14, 1979, she was united in marriage to Bill. Bill died on June 30, 2008. Anna worked for several years at Pella Products in New Sharon. She retired from there on July 26, 2006. On June 27, 2012, Ann was united in marriage to James L. “Jim” Nation in Oskaloosa. The two of them had dated in high school and life ended up taking them different directions. After the death of Jim’s mother, a sympathy card that Ann sent reconnected the couple and the rest is history. She enjoyed sewing, gardening, and doing carpentry work. She was a member of the Good News Chapel and the American Legion Auxiliary in Oskaloosa. Her family includes her husband, James Nation of Oskaloosa; three children, Kevin Nelson of Bennett, Colorado, Melinda (Michael) Gaarder of Oskaloosa and Mark (Sheila) Nelson of Oskaloosa; two step daughters, Lisa Cooper of Atlanta, Georgia, and Patricia Nation of Pleasant Hill; seven grandchildren; twelve step grandchildren; eight great grandchildren; nine step great grandchildren; two brothers and their wives, John and Janna Van Roekel of Oskaloosa and Henry (Hank) and Nancy Van Roekel of Ankeny; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband Bill, Anna was preceded in death by her parents, a grandson in infancy, Kevin Nelson; a great grandchild in infancy; and a brother in infancy, Allen Gene Van Roekel. Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 6, 2018, at 11:00 a.m. in the Bates Funeral Chapel in Oskaloosa with Pastor Alvern Boetsma officiating. Burial will be in the Forest Cemetery in Oskaloosa. The Bates Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. Visitation will begin Friday after 10 a.m. in the Bates Funeral Chapel and the family will be at the funeral chapel from 5-7 Friday evening to greet friends and relatives. Memorials may be made to Good New Chapel in Oskaloosa.