Sally Irene Nairn

Sally Irene Nairn was born in Sioux City, Iowa on December 21, 1946 to Howard Glen and Anna Irene (Herbold) Michaelsen. She was baptized and confirmed at Salem Lutheran Church in rural Correctionville, Iowa. Sally lived her childhood and early adult years in Pierson, Iowa. She attended Pierson Consolidated School. Her high school years were spent at Kingsley-Pierson Community High School where she graduated with the class of 1965. Following graduating, Sally attended Stewart School of Hairstyling in Sioux City, Iowa. After completing her schooling, she owned a beauty shop in Pierson, formerly owned by her mother.

Following her mother’s death in 1968, Sally moved to Sioux City where she worked at a beauty salon. On November 2, 1968, Sally was united in marriage to Ronald Dean Wheatley at Salem Lutheran Church in rural Correctionville, Iowa. To this union, three children were born: Andrea, Ryan and Megan. From 1968 to 1974, the family lived in Sioux City. Sally worked at the Zenith Plant. In 1974, they moved to Fremont, Nebraska. While in Fremont, Sally was a stay at home mom. In November of 1977, they purchased a flower shop in Harlan, Iowa. For the next 30 years, together they owned Flowers By Ron and Flowers Unlimited. From 1993 to July of 2009, Sally worked as a customer service representative at CDS in Harlan. She retired from there with 16 years of service. You could always find her working part time jobs. She managed two local convenience stores and she worked three years as a part-time counselor in the Concerned Residential Homes. Following the sale of her business to her daughter, Andrea, Sally continued working in the flower shop. She loved to design and be apart of the business she helped to establish.

The Wheatley Family were members of Immanuel Lutheran Church. Sally was always willing to help when called for food donation as she loved to cook and bake. She was called often to decorate for the ILCW events. Sally also loved flower beds and was always transplanting plants from friends. She enjoyed baking and often tried new recipes.

Following her husband, Ron’s death in 2009, Sally became reacquainted with a high school classmate. On September 22, 2009, Sally and Gerald Nairn were married in Las Vegas, Nevada. They continued to make their home in Harlan. The couple enjoyed their retirement together. They loved to fish, visit friends, travel, and watch sporting events especially the Boston Celtics and New York Yankees. Following Gerald’s death, Sally went on many trips with her cousin Barb, including Ireland, Amsterdam, and Belgium. Sally had a very special relationship with her Herbold cousins, they frequently called one another.

Sally passed away peacefully in Omaha, Nebraska on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 attaining the age of 79 years, 4 months and 28 days. She was preceded in death by her parents, Howard and Anna Michaelsen; husbands, Ronald Wheatley and Gerald Nairn; and sister, Priscilla Thraen.

She is survived by her children, Andrea (Shannon) Miller of Harlan, Iowa, Ryan Wheatley of Spirit Lake, Iowa; Megan (Jake) Fuhs of Shelby, Iowa; 5 grandchildren, Hunter Wheatley, Maddysen Wheatley, Sadee Wheatley, Abigail Jacobsen, and Brayden Miller; brother-in-law, Mark Thraen of Earling, Iowa; sister-in-law, Diana Nairn of Pierson, Iowa; other relatives and many friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to Immanuel Lutheran Church and Harlan Community Library.