Dr. Mary Anne Nelson

Dr. Mary Anne Nelson, 75, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died on Sunday, March 1, 2026, at the Dennis & Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy in Hiawatha, Iowa.

Born on December 15, 1950, in Carroll, Iowa, Mary Anne was the daughter of Dr. Ray and Elva (Kriz) Hull of Wall Lake. She attended Wall Lake High School before transferring to Interlochen Arts Academy near Traverse City, Michigan, where she graduated in 1969. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in pre-med from the University of Iowa in 1972 and received her medical doctorate from the same institution in 1976. On March 6, 1976, she married Dr. Donald Nelson in Iowa City.

After completing her residency with the Cedar Rapids Family Practice Residency in 1979, Mary Anne began her medical career with the Jacobs, Bomkamp, and Glanzer Practice. She later became co-owner of Glanzer & Nelson, P.C., practicing alongside Dr. JoLynn Glanzer, and maintained a solo practice after Dr. Glanzer’s retirement. For 47 years, she served the Cedar Rapids community with dedication and compassion.

Mary Anne was a devoted member of Cedar Valley Bible Church and the Christian Medical and Dental Association. While at the University of Iowa, she and her husband Donald helped found the campus chapter of the association, serving as secretary and president. The couple also volunteered with the Physicians Resource Council of Focus on the Family.

She is survived by her husband of nearly 50 years, Dr. Donald Nelson of Cedar Rapids; her brother, David (Beth) Hull of Edmond, Oklahoma; her nephew John (Christie) Blackburn and niece Kristina (Brig) Hull; and her step-siblings, Malcolm Polley, Jon Polley, Mike Polley, and Erica (Polley) Lancaster, along with their spouses, children, and grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Bradley Hull.