Nelda was born the daughter of Harry Bauer and Ruth Baxter Bauer on May 4, 1927 in Broughton, Kansas. She was raised on the family farm and attended school in Clay Center, Kansas graduating from high school in 1945. She earned her nursing degree from the St. Lukes Nursing School in Kansas City. Nelda was united in marriage with Louis E. "Woody" Woodburn in February of 1951. They made their home in Dewey for fifteen years before moving to Bartlesville in 1966. Mr. Woodburn was employed with the Phillips Petroleum Company and Nelda worked for local doctors including Dr. Lawrence and Dr. Allen and was one of the first nurses with the local Head Start Program. She retired in 1991 as the director of nursing at Medicalodge of Dewey. She was preceded in her death by her parents and older sister Gloria Holtz. Louis preceded her in death on February 5, 1993. Nelda remained a farm girl all her life. She was an avid gardener and did chores, including driving the tractor and feeding the animals into her 80's. Passionate about horses, she spent many years in the horse business with Renée showing and breeding horses and was active in the Green Country Paint Horse Club. She was gifted in a variety of needle arts including sewing, knitting, embroidery, her Route 66 quilt was the Grand Champion of the Washington County Fair last year.
Service Details
Thursday, April 14th, 2011 2:00pm, Neekamp-Luginbuel Funeral Home
Interment Details
Dewey Cemetery