Winifred Nieland

Winifred “Winnie” Joan (Kosel) Nieland, of Marshalltown, Iowa (formerly of Charles City) passed away on May 9, 2022 at the Iowa Veterans Home, with family by her side.

Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 21, 2022 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Charles City with Reverend Tom Heathershaw officiating. The service will be live-streamed at Immaculate Conception and Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home Facebook pages. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Charles City.

Her family will greet family and friends prior to the funeral from 9:30-10:30 a.m.

Winnie was born on June 13, 1927 to Frank and Agnes (Slivnik) Kosel in St. Cloud, Minnesota. She was the oldest of 10 children and graduated from Cathedral High School, St. Cloud, MN, in the Class of 1945. After graduation, she worked as a telephone operator and service representative for Northwestern Bell in Cambridge, Minnesota, before moving to Minneapolis. In March of 1952 she met the love of her life, Vernon “Vern” Nieland, on a blind-date, arranged by a childhood friend. Their first date was a Lenten mass at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis. Their deep faith and devotion to the church was evident through all the years of their life together. They were married on June 20, 1953 at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in St. Cloud. Their marriage was blessed with four children: Barb, Bill, Tom, and John. They lived in St. Louis Park, Minnesota for 17 years. During this time, Winnie enjoyed being a homemaker, caring for her children, canning fruits in the summer, being a Cub Scout den mother, baking cut-out birthday cakes, and the camaraderie of other neighborhood mothers; friendships that she maintained long after she moved. In 1972, Vern’s job took the family to Charles City, Iowa. It was challenging leaving family and friends, but the small-town living in Iowa suited them, and became a place where they developed strong friendships and connections in the community. A big accomplishment during this time was when Winnie learned to drive and earned her driver’s license. Vern’s job also took them to Lindenhurst, Illinois, back to Charles City, and Creston, Iowa, before retiring in Charles City. In their later years, Winnie and Vern moved to the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown.

Winnie loved her work as a teacher’s associate in the kindergarten classroom at IC School in Charles City. Winnie was active in many church and community organizations, such as the Altar Rosary Society, St. Anthony Circle, teaching religious education classes, Meals on Wheels, and attending daily mass after retirement. During their time in Illinois, she worked several summers at Great America Amusement Park as a cashier in the General Store Gift Shop. Winnie’s love of board games and playing cards ran throughout her life. Through the years Winnie and Vern spent many Saturday evenings playing bridge with neighborhood friends. She looked forward to time spent with girlfriends playing Boggle, Scrabble, and cards. And, for many years, no day was complete without the challenge of trying to complete the daily crossword. During the baseball season, you could find Winnie watching her beloved Chicago Cubs, whenever they were on TV. Winnie and Vern enjoyed attending their grandchildren’s activities. In retirement, they travelled to see family in North Carolina, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, California, and Minnesota. As travel became more difficult for Winnie and Vern, the Kopper Kettle Room at the Veterans Home became the gathering place for visits from siblings and friends, family birthdays and holidays.

Winnie was very proud of her large family. Over the years, they continued to stay in touch through reunions, family celebrations, weekly letters and phone calls, and it seemed no Kosel gathering was complete without a round of 500. Winnie also came to love the card game of Canasta after meeting Vern. An important family tradition was started in 1967, when Winnie and Vern took their four children to Birch Lake in Minnesota to spend a week at a cabin. It became a yearly event that has continued to this day with their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Although Winnie was not a big fan of the water or fishing, she loved challenging everyone to games of Scrabble, Upwards, and whatever board game was popular with the kids and grandkids. She looked forward to watching the loons and listening to their calls while at the lake. Winnie will be remembered for her love and devotion to her family and friends.

Winnie is survived by her children: Barb (Scott) Nessa, Bill (Mirsa) Nieland, Tom Nieland, and John (Angela Holman) Nieland; grandchildren: Jennifer (Türker) Nessa Küçük, Peter (Anne Barber) Nessa, Bob (Jennifer Bryan) Nieland, Chris (Ashlynn) Nieland, and Matt Nieland; great grandchildren: Lidya Nessa Küçük, Jimmy Nessa, Mayra Nessa Küçük, Molly Nessa, and Joe Nessa; siblings: Robert (Betty) Kosel, Gene (Linda) Kosel, Pat (Ruth) Kosel, Tom (Sharon) Kosel, Dave Kosel (Shannon Shaughnessy), Karen (Tom) Lundgren, sister-in-law, Patty Kosel and many nieces and nephews.

Welcoming Winnie into heaven is Vern, her husband of 64 years, parents, siblings: Sr. Eileen Kosel, Frank Kosel, Marcel Kosel, and sisters-in-law, Ann Kosel and Mary Alice Kosel.

Winnie’s family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the staff at the Iowa Veterans Home. They provided excellent care for her as her Lewy body disease progressed over the last 10 years and especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, when family visits were restricted for over a year. Iowa River Hospice staff also provided tremendous support and care in her final months.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Immaculate Conception School, 1203 Clark Street, Charles City, IA 50616

Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home, (641) 228-2323, 1205 South Main Street, Charles City, Iowa 50616 is in charge of local arrangements. Online condolences may be left on the Tribute Wall for the family at www.hauserfh.com.