Orland "Ole" Arthur Nelson

Orland “Ole” Nelson of Dassel passed peacefully on the afternoon of Monday, November 3, 2025, at the Cokato Manor. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 8th, 2025, at the St. Philips Catholic Church in Litchfield with Father Jeffrey Horejsi officiating. The interment will be held following the service at the St. Johns Catholic Church Cemetery in Darwin. A visitation will be held two hours prior to the service on Saturday, November 8, 2025, at the St. Philips Catholic Church in Litchfield. Military honors will be provided by the Litchfield Military Honor Guard. In Lieu of flowers donations are preferred to be given to the Dassel Volunteer Fire Department and the Meeker County Dairy Club. The Johnson Funeral Home in Dassel is in charge of the funeral arrangements. He leaves behind a legacy of love that includes his wife of 73+ years, Mary Ellen (Fitterer) Nelson; 10 children and their 10 spouses, 25 grandchildren/spouses and 55 (and still growing) great grandchildren. Ole was born to Arthur B and Olga Nelson on May 28th, 1932 in Litchfield MN. He was raised on a farm outside of the Litchfield/Forest City area with a younger brother and graduate from Litchfield High School in 1950. Following high school, he was in the Air Force and stationed in England during the Korean War. On June 14, 1952, he was married to his lifelong mate, whom he continued to refer to as “his Bride” until his death. Ole and Mary Ellen had eleven children in just under 15 years. All of their children were graduates of the Dassel-Cokato school district and when the youngest one graduated, they and their children hosted a reception for all the living teachers their children had ever had. Second only to his family, caring for and showing cattle was Ole’s passion. While his work with purebred Jersey cattle took them to multiple locations in the early years, including Wisconsin and New Jersey, the majority of the years were spent at the farm on the outskirts of Dassel since 1963 and since 1996, at their home in town in Dassel. Marynole Farm and Nelson Farm were how they were known. The family hosted numerous “premier” cattle shows and showed purebred Jersey cattle continuously thru the decades at both county fairs and the Minnesota State Fair, a tradition carried on through the grandkids in 4-H and to the present time with son Greg and multiple grandchildren. Ole and Mary Ellen were actively involved in the community, their Church and the Dassel-Cokato schools during all the years of their married life. They were known as “bleacher” parents and grandparents and rarely missed an event any local family members were involved in. Among his activities, Ole served on the Dassel Fire Department for 21 years and was Fire Chief for seven years. He was elected to the Dassel-Cokato School Board and the Board of the Dassel Lakeside Home. He served in the Air Force 1950-1951 and was a member of the Litchfield American Legion Post. He served 16 years on the Minnesota State Dairy Association and 4 years on their Executive Committee; Chairman of the Meeker County Dairy Association, Minnesota Jersey Cattle Club board and President of the Meeker County Holstein Board. Within his church community at St. John’s, Ole Chaired the St. John’s Education Center Building Committee and was an active Lector and usher. Ole is survived by his wife, Mary Ellen and his ten children: Terry (Tony) Saber, Edina; Steve (Becky) Nelson, Dassel; Tom (Kerry) Nelson, Howard Lake; Mary Pat (Richard) Kusler, Dassel; Susan (John) Alrick, Hutchinson; Michelle (Andy) Schoolmeesters, Litchfield; Barbara (Kurt) Bollman, Fargo, ND; Greg (Sara) Nelson, Dassel; Chuck (Cindy) Nelson, Dassel and Julie (Mark) Krause, Delano; 25 grandchildren, their spouses and his 55+ great grandchildren. Additionally, he is survived by his brother Wes (Kathy) Nelson of Stewart. He was proceeded in death by his parents Art and Olga Nelson, two stillborn siblings, an infant son Michael and two grandsons Hunter Heyrman and Merrick Kamm.

Orland "Ole" Arthur Nelson

May 28, 1932 - November 3, 2025