Gerald C. Nelson, 86, of Aurora, Colorado, passed away suddenly though peacefully on Friday, March 2, 2018 at his home in Heather Gardens from congestive heart failure. Born in Fargo, North Dakota on October 15, 1931 to Victor and Margaret Nelson, he graduated from Fargo Central H.S. in 1949 and attended North Dakota State University (North Dakota Agricultural College when he went there). He served as a Radar Mechanic in the Army at Ft. Bliss, TX and Camp Lucas, MI during the Korean War with C Battery, 8th AAA Battalion. Following the war he returned to work at Massey Ferguson in Fargo, where he met the love of his life, Betty Nelson, who was working at Massey. They got married June 11, 1955, sharing nearly 63 years of marriage. After they got married Jerry was transferred to the Billings, MT location, then Racine, WI, and then Denver, CO. He concluded his time with Massey in Kansas City, MO, retiring in 1993 after 43 years of dedicated service to Massey Ferguson. They moved back to Aurora the next year.
Jerry was a passionate man who enjoyed not only his work at Massey, but loved working in his yard, gardening beautiful flowers and tasty tomatoes, working up a good BBQ, watching Sports on TV, telling stories, having a nice, cold beer (or two or three) with family and friends, snowmobiling, fly fishing, and fighting with the squirrels that would get into his bird feeders. He loved kids, dogs, bunnies, but not cats (though they always loved him which was so funny). He was always quick to tease about something, or to lend a helping hand to a neighbor or friend in need.
Jerry was extremely loving and very proud of his three daughters, Tami Nelson (Drozt) and her husband Rob, of Peoria, AZ, Peggy Nelson of Denver, CO, and Terri Nelson of Aurora, CO. He is also survived by his wife and best friend, Betty Nelson, his Grandson Nick Brooks his wife Stephanie and two great grandchildren Jaxon and Kendall Brooks of Aurora, CO, his Granddaughter Jordan Brooks of Phoenix, AZ, as well as Mark Ingles of Colorado Springs, CO, who is like a son and brother to the family, Jerry’s brother, Richard Nelson and his wife Rachel of San Diego, CA, his sister Kay Flom and her husband Jerry of Grand Forks, ND, and many nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends at a viewing from 9:00-10:00am, Thursday, March 8, 2018 at the Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary followed by the Celebration of Jerry’s life beginning at 10:00am.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made “In memory of Gerald Nelson” to the American Heart Association – Denver at http://www2.heart.org/goto/Gerald_Nelson or by mail at 1777 S. Harrison St, Ste 500; Denver, CO 80210.
