Donald & Carma Nelson
A Celebration of Life honoring Donald Dean Nelson and Carma Loma (Schuman) Nelson will be held as an open house on Saturday, Aug. 2, from 1-3 p.m. at the Guttenberg Country Club.
A private burial will take place earlier that day at Strawberry Point Cemetery.
Donald Dean Nelson passed away April 3, 2025
He was born July 28, 1937, and in Lamont, the son of Theodore Peter and Hazel May (Wenger) Nelson. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1957 to 1960, a period of his life he always held with pride.
Don spent most of his career as a truck driver, with the last 16 years at Churchill Trucking. Even after retirement, his love for campers and people brought him back to work each summer at Jeff’s RV for over 25 years. A talented painter Don made countless handcrafted pieces that reflected his artistry and attention to detail.
Carma Loma (Schuman) Nelson passed away Aug. 10, 2020.
She was born April 15, 1944, in Waterloo, the daughter of Raymond and Lucille (Lentzkow) Schuman.
In 1962, she moved to Cedar Rapids to begin a long and dedicated career at Collins Radio, where she worked for 36 years before retiring in 1999.
Don and Carma were married on Dec. 26, 1964. Together, Don and Carma loved to travel—by motorhome, boat, and motorcycle. Summers were spent on the Mississippi River, where they cherished boating with friends and family. Among all their boats, their favorite was the houseboat they named “The Carma-Don.” Winters took them to Lake Okeechobee, Fla., where they enjoyed fishing and eventually building a home. Don will be remembered for his trademark bib overalls, friendly presence, and his gold wing motorcycle rides around Guttenberg, always keeping an eye on the community he loved.
They are survived by Don’s cousin Gary, and Carma’s sister Marla, as well as several nieces and nephews. They are also remembered fondly by special friends Jeff and Brenda Koppes, and many longtime friends from their boating, camping, and motorcycle adventures in and around Guttenberg.
They are preceded in death by Don’s parents and brother, Richard. Carma’s parents, brother, Jack, and sister, Romell.
