Our Own Renee Elkins
Hamilton School Student Writers
Hamilton School Student Writers
Posted Online: May 02, 2010, 12:00 am Comment on this story | Print this story | Email this storyNels Robert Lindell
By Renee Elkins
Sixth grade
Nels Robert Lindell's parents were named Nels Gunnar Lindell and Edna Beatrice Miner Lindell. They had five children. In order from oldest to youngest, Nels and Edna had three daughters, Beverly (died at the age of 2), Barbara, and Carolyn. The youngest two children Nels and Edna had were the twins, Nels and John.
Edna was a friend to everyone she met, the "family prayer warrior", and a stay-at-home mom. She loved children. After her youngest daughter was born, the doctor told Edna she couldn't have any more children. Edna did not believe him. For eight years Edna prayed for just one more child. When she was 34 she found out she was pregnant with twins. She knew that God didn't believe her when she asked for just one more child. In the end she was grateful to God for blessing her with five children. In June of 1982, Edna died of Alzheimer's.
Nels Gunnar was born in Sweden. Life in Sweden was very difficult because there was no work available and the land where Nels lived was very rocky so his family could not farm. In 1913, at the age of 15, Nels came to America. When Nels came to the country he went to Andover, IL (about 36 minutes away from Moline, IL) and got a job on a farm. Around 1922, he left Andover and headed off to Moline, IL. He then got a job working at John Deere Plow Works. He worked there from 1921 until 1965. In 1924 Nels met Edna. After a year, Nels and Edna got married on November 12, 1925 at Salvation Army Church in Moline, IL. On August 18, 1981 Nels died of heart problems.
On February 8, 1942, at Lutheran Hospital in Moline, IL Nels Robert Lindell was born. Twenty minutes later his twin brother, John William Lindell, was born. Before the twins were born, their sisters wanted the twins to be named Bobby and Billy. Later on in the twins' life their sisters started calling them by their middle names, Bobby and Billy. The twins were called that all the time until they went to college when they decided to start going by their first names.
When Nels Robert was a child, he always had a playmate -- his twin brother, John. They did everything together and were the best of friends. Sometimes it was almost as if they were a separate family because of the age difference between the boys and girls. Since the girls were older, they spoiled the twins. Nels always remembered his parents as being old because of their age when he and John were born.
Edna dressed the twins alike until they were in sixth grade when they rebelled. Edna was devastated because she felt her boys weren't her babies anymore.
Nels Robert came to know Jesus at about the age of 12. The Lindell family went to church every Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday evening.
Nels Robert graduated from high school in 1960. He then went to two different colleges: Moline Community College and then Upper Iowa University. He attended each college for two years. Nels graduated in 1966 with a degree in biology and minors in both chemistry and business.
In 1966, Nels Robert was drafted into the Army. He made one friend that he still has today and that is Mike Gorman.
On January 12, 1949, in Waterloo, IA, Karen Suzanne Bruch was born. Later on, when she could decide for herself, she changed her name to Suzanne and then went by the nickname Sudi. In June of 1969, Nels Lindell and Sudi Bruch met. Later, on February 28, 1970, they got married. In May of 2003, Sudi was diagnosed with cancer. From May 2003 until November 2006, God gave the Lindell family the strength to fight the cancer. Sudi's sickness brought Nels and herself closer to both each other and Christ.
Nels and Sudi had two children: Heidi Suzanne Lindell and David Nels Lindell. David was born August 19, 1970. Heidi was born January 30, 1972. Both children were born at Lutheran Hospital in Moline, IL.
Sudi had many problems while she was pregnant with her daughter. She was due at the end of February. However, on January 30, Sudi started bleeding. To save her daughter, the doctor had to take the baby out one month early. The doctor told Sudi she shouldn't have any more children. Now Sudi's daughter, Heidi, lives a happy and healthy life with her husband and two daughters.
Sudi loved children and wanted many. However, she could not have anymore because it was too risky. The Lindell family decided to take in foster children instead. From 1981 to 1988, Nels and Sudi provided emergency foster care for 70 children. Afterwards, they housed 7 foreign-exchange students. In the 1990s, Nels and Sudi were busy with church and getting their children through college. From 1996 to 2006, they were busy with their children and grandchildren.
Nels Robert has had three main jobs throughout his life. Nels got his first job delivering newspapers when he was in his early teens. His favorite part was getting paid. His second job was working at Deppe's Market. His favorite part of that job was the fact that he was learning new skills. His third and final job was working at John Deere. His favorite part of that job was the fact that he got to see things built. Nels worked from 1964 until 2001 when he retired.
On April 1, 2001, Nels Robert retired from John Deere. Since then, he has done several things to occupy his time. A few of those things include working with the Red Cross, remodeling his house, participating in Habitat for Humanity, volunteering at church, teaching Bible classes, playing tennis, and caring for his wife while she was sick.
After Nels Robert retired, he took classes with the Red Cross. His first assignment was October 9, 2001, when he went to New York to do logistics work for the Red Cross after 9/11. On the 10th of October, he was sent to Ground Zero to take supplies and help set up a second respite center. He spent the next three and a half weeks working between the warehouse in New Jersey and Ground Zero.
Since Nels Robert retired, God has shown him many new ways to do His will.
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