OBITUARY: James (Jim) Nelson

Beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend, James (Jim) DeWayne Nelson, formerly of Spicer, age 80, passed away unexpectedly on April 8, in Fort Myers, FL. He is preceded in death by his son, Brian, both of his parents, one brother, three brothers-in-law, two sisters-in-law, and four nephews.

Jim was born to Leonard and Alice Nelson on April 23, 1941, one of nine children. He grew up in Colfax Township on the farm. After high school, Jim spent three years in the U.S. Army. During that time, he was stationed in Germany for two years. He worked in residential home building and commercial construction for more than 40 years.

He met his wife, Jeanine Werner, of Wabasso, MN and they married in 1965. They had two children: son Brian and daughter Gina (Andrew) McCabe. They lived in Prior Lake and moved to Spicer in 1978, where they lived for eleven years before moving to Plymouth, MN. Jim and Jeanine retired in 2000 and bought a hobby farm in Woonsocket, SD where they enjoyed working the land, hunting and tending to their horses. In 2011 they moved to Pierre, SD where Jim built a house in a small fishing community along the Missouri River. They made lifelong friends in South Dakota and enjoyed spending time with them.

Jim and Jeanine were eventually drawn back to Minnesota to be closer to their daughter Gina, son-in-law Andrew and three granddaughters: Josie (16), Brynn (14) and Fallon (10). Jim is also survived by his siblings: Alma Holcomb, Doris Boie, Roger (Joyce) Nelson, Jeanne Jorgenson, Larry (Mary) Nelson, Dianne (Larry) Henjum and Nancy (Ron) Nelson.

Jim enjoyed many hobbies over the years including snowmobiling, hunting, camping, and fishing, which was one of his true passions. He wintered down in southern Texas for several years where he made lifelong friendships. The past few winters were spent in Fort Myers, FL where he enjoyed the weather. He adored his three granddaughters and loved spending time with them – watching them play soccer, run track and picking them up from school.

Throughout his life, Jim was always a kind, gentle person with a big smile on his face and a positive, "can-do" attitude. He was no stranger to hard work and always offering to help others. He loved to tell stories, especially funny ones, and always made those around him feel good.

Visitation will be from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., followed by a cele