Dagmar &Aanen Nelsen

COLONIE, NY – Dagmar V. and Aanen G. Nelsen, beloved husband and wife, passed away on Sunday, March 27, 2011. Born in Vigmostad, Norway on March 11, 1916, Aanen was the son of the late Karl Emil Nilssen and Aasa Tomine Aanensdatter. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his siblings; Nils Nelsen, Aksel Haaland, Norman Haaland and Joan (Gunvor) Hoover. He is survived by his older sister, Ellen Rognes. His family immigrated to this country in 1927, moving to a farm in Westerlo, NY. His father died a few years later and the family moved to Rensselaer where his sister Joan became best friends with a young girl named Dagmar. They were wed on July 12, 1942, the beginning of a loving and enduring marriage covering almost 69 years. Aanen served in the U.S. Army, 10th Mountain Division, 99th Infantry Battalion and fought in the Battle of the Bulge where his unit was cited for the defense of the town of Malmedy, Belgium. He was awarded the Silver Star. At the end of the war, his unit was dispatched to Norway to disarm the Germans and later they were honored in Olso by King Haakon, VII of Norway. He was still active in the accounting firm, Nelsen & Nelsen. Aanen was a member of NYSSCPA, AICPA, Colonie Village Fire Company and the Sons of Norway. He developed a love of baseball and enjoyed watching the N.Y. Giants and later, the N.Y. Mets.
Born in Summit, Schoharie County, NY on July 4, 1921, Dagmar was the daughter of the late William H. Coleman and Nina L. Foland. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her son, William H. Clark and her siblings; Ronald Coleman, Susan Sharples, Teresa Ramella and Ida Polisky. She is survived by her brother, Philip Markley. She worked with her husband's accounting firm. Dagmar was a member of the Daughter of the American Revolution and the Colonie Village Volunteer Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary. She was a great lover of animals, especially horses and German Shepard's.
Aanen and Dagmar are survived by their devoted children; Joyce C. (Rainer) Menzel, Carl E. (Elaine) Nelsen and Aanen (Patricia) Nelsen. They are the cherished grandparents of William R. Clark, Jr., Sandra Menzel Weiss, Carl E. Nelsen, Jr., Eric Menzel, Pamela B. Nelsen, Jaimee Lynn Nelsen, Eric Aanen Nelsen and Jillian Victoria Tangen. Also surviving are eleven great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be Friday morning at 11:00 a.m. at New Comer Cannon Funeral Home, 343 New Karner Rd., Colonie (Rt. 155-south of Central Ave). Calling hours will be Thursday from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Interment will be in Memory Gardens, Colonie. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, 440 New Karner Rd., Albany, NY 12205 or Mohawk & Hudson River Humane Society, 3 Oakland Ave., Menands, NY 12204 in memory of Aanen and Dagmar Nelsen.