Dennis Nilles , 92, of Le Mars, Iowa, passed away Tuesday, March 28, 2023, at Floyd Valley Healthcare in Le Mars.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 4, 2023, at All Saints Catholic Parish – St. James Church in Le Mars.  Reverend Bruce Lawler will celebrate Mass.  Reverend Paul Eisele will concelebrate.  Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery in Sioux City, Iowa.  Visitation will begin at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, April 3, 2023, at Rexwinkel Funeral Home in Le Mars.  There will be a Parish Rosary at 5:00 p.m.  The family will greet friends beginning at 5:30 p.m.  There will be Scriptural Prayer Service at 7:00 p.m.  Visitation will resume from 9:30 a.m. until service time on Tuesday at the church.  Arrangements are with the Rexwinkel Funeral Home in Le Mars.  Expressions of sympathy can be extended to the family through www.rexwinkelfh.com .

Memorials can be in Dennis's name in care of the family to the Carmelites Monastery in Sioux City, Iowa and Carmelite Monastery in St. Louis, Missouri.

Dennis John Nilles, the son of Peter and Olga (Krieps) Nilles, was born on March 31, 1930, on a farm near Remsen, Iowa.  He attended school at St. Mary's in Remsen.  Following his schooling, he farmed outside of Remsen and then farmed west of Le Mars until his retirement.

He was united in marriage to Beverly Brown Shay on August 10, 1968, at St. Michael Catholic Church in Sioux City.  Their marriage was the first in the new church.

Dennis and Beverly were longtime members of All Saints Catholic Parish – St. James Church in Le Mars.  He volunteered at the Carmelites Monastery in Sioux City with his brothers, Pete, Stan, and Lorne.  He also took "Black Gold" to the Carmelites in St. Louis, Missouri for their garden.  He enjoyed working in his greenhouse and in his garden.  He also made windchimes.  He loved farming and helping Merle with harvest.  He drove the combine until he was 91 years old.  He also enjoyed Sunday dinners with his family.  His favorite love was fishing in Canada for the past 40 years, many of them traveling in the Blue Bird bus.

Survivors include his wife of over 54 years, Beverly of Le Mars; 4 children: Genelle (Jake) Dixson of Sioux City, IA, Dr. Ruth Shay of Fort Collins, CO, Dianne Shay of Sioux City, IA, and Merle (Becky) Shay of Le Mars, IA; 8 grandchildren: Michelle Wright, Jakie Anderson, Doug Martin, Tonya Galles, Dawn Martin, Stephanie Shay-Overholser, Kyle Shay, and Amanda Shay-Brookhart; 9 great grandchildren; his brother: Mark (Jean) Nilles of Le Mars, IA; his in laws: Shirley Nilles of Kingsley, IA, Julie Nilles of Madison, SD, and Judy Nilles of Le Mars; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Peter and Olga Nilles; his father and mother-in-law, Charles and Ruth Weaver; his siblings: Lorne (Florence) Nilles, George (Phyliss) Nilles, Stan Nilles, Anthony Nilles, Betty Nilles, Ruth (Gerry) Grage, Marcella (Norbert) Hansen, Clarice (Donald) Bainbridge, and Peter Nilles; and his in laws: Donnie (Edna) Brown and Merle (Joyce) Brown.