Nelda Christensen Asbeck was born in Albert Lea, Minnesota to parents Carl and Hannah (Hansen) Christensen on Jan. 22, 1916. When she was just a few months old, the family moved to Sidney, Montana and farmed in the Brorson community where she was raised and educated. As one of the greatest generation and growing up number 10 in a family of 11 kids, times were tough and life was hard. She persevered through “thick and thin” learning to appreciate the simple things in life and, even in her golden years, never wanting for anything fancy.

On Dec. 1, 1936, this foxy Danish lady and her handsome German beau, Hugo Asbeck, Sr., were united in marriage in Sidney. To this successful union were born 3 children, Hugo Jr. in 1937, Glen in 1938, and Elaine in 1947. They farmed sugar beets, grain, and hay north of Sidney until the time of Hugo’s death on Dec. 29, 1978. They also had some cattle and fed out a large flock of lambs every winter along with milking cows, raising chickens for meat and eggs, and always planted a large vegetable garden.

At a young age, she learned how to can and preserve her bountiful harvests, and her expertise ranged anywhere from sauerkraut and headcheese to different fruits and jams. Her family loved being treated to special German dishes such as knodel, kolaches, and German potato salad that she made like a true German “Frau”. She was an excellent cook and baker, and when guests arrived at any time, she was always a gracious hostess and could rustle up a full-course meal in short order. If anyone left her table hungry, it was their own fault!

During her “spare” time, she crocheted beautiful doilies and dolls, was a self-taught and accomplished seamstress, and quickly caught on to the latest crafting fad. Both she and Hugo enjoyed playing cards, bowling, and especially dancing to waltzes and other old-time music at the Moose Club.
While on the farm, vacations were virtually unheard of except for maybe a quick jaunt to visit family or friends in early summer between planting, irrigating, and harvesting. But this was not viewed as a hardship, because for both Nelda and Hugo, their life’s work was their life’s play, and they thoroughly loved what they did and took great pride in what they achieved together. In 1973, they did travel to Germany, where she met all of Hugo’s family for the first time and, despite the language barrier, made a very favorable and lasting impression on them. After becoming a widow, she enjoyed various travels throughout the country with some of her close lady friends.

In the spring of 1979, Nelda moved from the farm into Sidney and bought a home where she has since lived. Even in town, she continued gardening with both vegetables and flowers and mowed her own lawn until she was almost 90. As an active member of St. Matthew’s Catholic Church, Altar Society, and St. Catherine’s Circle, she worked at numerous rummage sales, fall dinners, and funeral luncheons, besides serving as co-chairwoman of the funeral lunch committee for several years. She was also a member of Women of the Moose, Ridgelawn Homemakers Club, Bonko Club, and Savage Senior Citizens.

In her final years, she became quite a celebrity with debuts on both TV and in the Billings Gazette. At the age of 99 following valvuloplasty, she was interviewed by KTVQ while doing cardiac rehab at Billings Clinic. When she was 100, the Gazette did a feature article on her and her St. Vincent’s cardiologist for being his oldest patient to undergo a minimally invasive heart valve replacement.

The past few months, she was a resident at Valley Health Care in Billings, Montana. On May 20, 2017, with family at her side, God quieted Nelda’s fighting spirit and gently led her home to eternal rest and peace in heaven.

Nelda is survived by her son, Hugo Jr. (Elaine) Asbeck, Sidney, MT; daughter, Elaine (John) Whitman, Billings, MT; daughter-in-law, Louise Asbeck, Sidney, MT; grandchildren, Harvey, Lynn, Teresa, John, Pat, Mitch, Gene, Kemp, and Nicole; ten great-grandchildren; one great great-granddaughter; and numerous nieces and nephews in both the U.S. and Germany. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Hugo, son Glen, grandson James, and great-grandson Ryan Chatterton along with all of her siblings, Thea, Maytie, Agnes, Alice, Ethel, Louise, Albert, Art, Harvey, and Mabel.

Memorial Contribution