Nellie Mae Keairns, 96 of Sioux City, died Thursday, November 13, 2014 at a local care facility.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 am Wednesday at Waterbury Funeral Service of Sioux City, 4125 Orleans Avenue with Rev. Merrill Muller officiating. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery. Visitation 4-8 pm Tuesday evening at the funeral home. Online condolences may be sent to www.waterburyfuneralserviceinc.com.

Nellie was born on May 5, 1918 in Scottsburg, Indiana, the daughter of Lebert and Mary (Terrell) Watterson. During the mid 1920's the family moved to Sioux City. On January 22, 1932 she was united in marriage to Kenneth Keairns in Sioux City.

Nellie is survived by her daughters Diana Butler, Kenna Mae Owens, Carol Lane, Dorothy (Roy) Dill Sue (Terry) Hubert, all of Sioux City, her sons, Robert (Donna) Keairns of Sioux City, Harry (Ruth) Keairns of Des Moines, Iowa, Neal (Jeanette) Keairns of Sloan, William (Lori) Keairns of Kansas City, Missouri,
James (Kathy) Keairns of Sioux City, Kenneth (Nancy) Keairns of Sioux City, Steve (Lorraine) Keairns of Sioux City, and Scott (Krista) Keairns of Rapid City, South Dakota; 51 grandchildren and numerous great and great-great grandchildren; her sisters, Roberta Thiele of Sioux City, Mary Ellen Irish of Arizona and Judy Mehess of Davenport, Iowa; and one daughter-in-law, Marilyn Keairns.

She was preceded in death by her parents, who died from a carbon monoxide accident in the early 1960’s, her husband in 2000, son Donald Keairns, daughter Barbara Smith, sons-in-law Wayne Owens, William Butler, Jim Lane and Jack Smith, brothers Lee Watterson and Lebert Watterson, Jr, sisters Juanita Schultz, Dorothy Adams and LaVerne Carlson, and three grandchildren, Tommy Lane and Debra Rabideau and Cathy Donnelly.