Nellie Geneva Bast

Nellie Geneva Bast, 99, of Cedar Falls, was called to Heaven on Monday, March 23, 2026, with family by her side. She was born on June 28, 1926, in Dunlap, Kansas, the daughter of John Sherman Blanton and Leora Eva (Parrish) Blanton. At age 16 she ventured from Council Grove, KS to Cedar Falls, Iowa to live with her sister Maxine and brother-in-law Tom Scobee, attended Cedar Falls High School, and began working at Dutcher’s Diner on Main Street. She met the love of her life, Henry W. Bast, at a dance at Electric Park Ballroom after he returned from service in World War II. They married June 20th,1947 at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, IA. They were married for 75 ½ years, when Henry passed away a month shy of age 102. She later worked as a bookkeeper with First National Bank until they started their family. Nellie later returned to working at Banco/Norwest/ Wells Fargo until she retired in 1983, leaving banking for her greater passion of caring for children. Post retirement they volunteered with Mission Builders traveling the Midwest to assist with church renovations in three states. They volunteered at the Northeast Iowa Food Bank. They travelled the country visiting relatives. But most of all – she continued to invest her life into loving and caring for children. She created and donated hundreds of baby quilts and worked with the Do-Day Quilters at St. John Church. Nellie enjoyed gardening, crocheting, reading & especially FAMILY. She loved flowers and had a beautiful assortment of wildflowers, perennials, and weeds in her gardens. She loved animals, especially her faithful companions throughout her retirement years. Nellie is survived by her children, William (Erin) Bast of Springfield, MO, Jane (Ron) Bolin of Cedar Falls, Judy (Kirk) Nelson of Orono, MN, Harlan Bast of Phoenix, AZ; grandchildren, Kris (Wes) Turner, Chad (Erin) Bolin, Laura (Will) Overstreet, Aaron Bast & Tiffannee, Abbie Langman, Anna (Jerry) Ruschmeier, Andrew (Lindsay) Bast, Adam Bast, Alan (Alexis) Bast, Jonah Bast and Ella DiCiolla; great-grandchildren, Madek, Miriam, Avery, Isaac, Chloe, Donnick, Lucy, Rowan, Emberlynn, Whitaker, Barek, Anna Bee, Elliot, Berkeley, and Merrick. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, four brothers: Junior, Dick, Bill and Robert Blanton; three sisters: Roberta Olson, Maxine Scobee, and Doris Chase. Celebration of Nellie’s Life will be 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at St. John Lutheran Church in Cedar Falls with burial following at the Garden of Memories in Waterloo. Visitation will be 4:00-7:00 p.m. Monday, March 30th at Richardson Funeral Service in Cedar Falls. Memorials may be directed to Cedar Valley Hospice and St. John Lutheran Church. Special thanks to Cedar Valley Hospice for their extraordinary care and attention to Nellie and her family.

Nellie Geneva Bast

June 28, 1926 - March 23, 2026