Visitation will be at 8:30am, Saturday, December 2, 2023, at St. Gabriel Catholic Church, 4737 N. Cleveland Ave., Kansas City, followed by Funeral Mass at 10:30 AM; then burial at Resurrection Cemetery, 5001 NE Cookingham Drive, Kansas City.
Bob was born on November 12, 1931 to Andrew Lester Nelson and Helen Mary (Vohasek) Nelson in Oak Park, Illinois. He lived in Berwyn, Illinois until 1941, when his family moved to St. Paul, Minnesota. On November 24, 1951, he married his high-school sweetheart, Joanne M. (Schaaf) Nelson. He was an Air Force veteran, on active duty in 1951-1952 during the Korean Conflict, and in the Minnesota, then in the Texas, Air National Guard, 1948-1961.
His career primarily was with the Great Northern Railway (eventually Burlington Northern, now BNSF) where he started as a stenographer in 1954 and retired in 1985 as a regional salesman, working in St. Paul, Minnesota; Dallas, Texas; St. Louis, Missouri and, finally, Kansas City. He was a leader in several traffic and transportation clubs in Missouri and Kansas.
In the Boy Scouts of America from 1969 to 1992 he was active in many areas and positions, including Troop 707 committee chair, commissioner in the Broken Arrow and North Star districts, campsite commissioner and lead commissioner at the H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation, religious emblems counselor, and chairman of the diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting. For distinguished service, he received much recognition, including the Silver Beaver award, Bronze Pelican award, St. George emblem, and many other awards. In the Boy Scouts honorary tribe of Mic-O-Say, he reached the rank of Keeper of the Wampum. He was certified in many types of Scout training.
A devout Catholic, Bob held many leadership positions at St. Raphael Catholic Church before joining St. Gabriel Catholic Church. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus Tri-County Council 3414.
Bob is preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 63 years, and his son, Gregory Robert Nelson. He is survived by five children, ten grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren: Children Kenneth Nelson (Sandy,) Leonard Nelson (Jean,) Dennis Nelson, Sharon Collet (Vincent,) Diane Ooton (Scott,) and a daughter-in-law, Jean Nelson; grandchildren Mark Nelson (Jenn,) Bethany Wilson (Jeremy,) Kathryn Froese (Jacob,) Amy Nelson, Mackenzie Nelson, Haley Nelson. Eric Ooton, Curt Ooton (Dijana,) John Lazar (Alexandra,) and Paul Lazar; great-grandchildren, Mila Ooton, Luka Ooton, Huxley Froese, and Holland Froese.
The family suggests donations to the Little Sisters of the Poor, 8745 James A. Reed Road, Kansas City, MO 64138.
