CROGHAN, NY – Nelson L. Roes, 90, formerly of George St., Croghan, died Sunday morning, Nov. 22, 2020, at Sunset Nursing Home, Boonville.
The funeral will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2020, at Naumburg Mennonite Church with Pastors Titus Mast, Myron Roggie and Greg Widrick officiating. There will be no calling hours. There will be a viewing as you leave church, prior to the graveside service at Naumburg Mennonite Cemetery.
Arrangements are with Iseneker Funeral Home, Inc., Lowville.
Nelson was born on January 10, 1930 in Depew, NY, a son of the late Samuel and Ellen “Lena” Nafziger Roes. He attended country school on the West Road and Lowville Academy, and worked on area farms.
On June 9, 1950, he married Mary W. Nafziger at Dadville Mennonite Church, with Rev. Lloyd Boshart officiating. Together with his wife, the couple purchased a dairy farm in Denmark, which they operated for six years before moving to Castorland where Nelson worked for Climax Manufacturing. He started a small farm equipment dealership at their home in Castorland, and moved the business to Route 26 in Lowville where he built Roes Equipment Company, and operated the business until the early 1980s.
Nelson and Mary lived in Castorland for 57 years, moving to Steepleview Courts in Croghan on May 1, 2014.
Nelson was a charter member of Naumburg Mennonite Church, where he had served as Bible school superintendent, and was a member of Naumburg Mennonite Church Council. He was chairman of Sonlight Missions in Haiti, actively doing mission work since the mid-1960s, and had been on well over 150 mission trips to Haiti.
Nelson loved to watch birds, and put puzzles together. He enjoyed playing card games and watching his family playing ball.
He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Mary; his children, his children and their spouses, Virginia and Nevin Moser of Lowville; David and Marcia Roes of Lowville; Dannie and Yvonne Roes of Castorland; Jane and Harold Yoder of Elizabethtown, PA; Dale and Connie Roes of Lowville; Darwin and Lori Roes of Lancaster, PA; three brothers and their wives, Vernon and Doreen Roes of Harrisonburg, VA; Leonard and Judy Roes of Lowville; Melvin and Judy Roes of Lowville; three sisters and their husbands, Irene and Alvin Zehr of Castorland; Alice and Alvin Roggie of Castorland; Nancy and Marvin Widrick of Florida; a sister-in-law, Wilma Roes of Michigan; many nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was predeceased by four brothers and sisters-in-law, Edward and Bertha Roes, Maurice and Rosella Roes, Lloyd and Clara Roes, and Raymond and Anna Mae Roes; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Anna Mae and Grant Noftsier and Edna and Elmer Yousey.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Sonlight Missions, P.O. Box 51, Castorland, NY 13620.
Condolences may be made online at www.isenekerfuneralhome.com.