NELSON, Thomas Edward

NELSON, CHAMBERS, DUITSCHER

Posted By: Pat Ludeke (email)
Date: 6/5/2013 at 00:40:39

Thomas Edward Nelson, 83, of 1625 North Shore Dr., Clear Lake, died Thursday,
April 22, 2010 at Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit. A funeral service was
held Monday, April 26, at the Evangelical Free Church, Clear Lake with the Rev.
Dan Jordan officiating. Interment was at the Clear Lake Cemetery. Military
Honors were provided by the Clear Lake V.F.W. Memorial contributions may be
directed to the Clear Lake Evangelical Free Church, or Honor Flight Winnebago,
P.O. Box 191, Clear Lake, Iowa 50428 or the Association for the Preservation of
Clear Lake.

Thomas Edward Nelson was born June 19, 1926 in Wesley, Iowa to Thomas E. and
Mable (Chambers) Nelson. Thomas graduated from Long Beach High School, Long
Beach, Calif. He was a WWII Navy veteran.

Thomas was the founder and CEO of Nelson Petroleum Products of Clear Lake, and
president of Super 8 Motels in Clear Lake for 28 years. He served as a former
member of the Clear Lake Bank and Trust Board of Directors. He was past
president of the Petroleum Marketers of Iowa and received the 1989 Jobber of
the Year award from BP/Amoco.

Thomas was a member of the Clear Lake Evangelical Free Church, Clear Lake Noon
Lions, Mason Lodge 145, Odd Fellows, Voiture 66 Forty & Eight, a life member of
AMVETS and the American Legion.

Thomas was also a University of Iowa “Golden Hawk” and followed University of
Iowa sports for over 60 years, attending all four University of Iowa Rose Bowls.
He was an active leader in Boy Scouts of America for over 25 years earning the
Silver Beaver award. He also enjoyed his monthly breakfast with Clear Lake
classmates.

Thomas married Janice A. Duitscher in Long Beach on March 6, 1945. Tom is
survived by his wife, Janice; four children, Dr. Michael Nelson, (Jananne),
Minneapolis, Minn., Kirk Nelson of Jordan, Minn., Kim Nelson (Jennifer) of
Redmond, Wash. and Nina (Charlie) Gravelle of Eden Prairie, Minn. Thomas is
also survived by eight grandchildren, Dana (Ricardo Perez) Nelson, Nicole (Dr.
Andrew) Moffitt, Tanner Nelson, Alex and Jordan Nelson, Matson, Samuel, and
Anna Gravelle; four great-grandchildren, Diego and Amir Perez Nelson, Cade and
Grace Moffitt; half-brothers, Russell Nelson of Fort Mill, S.C. and Roger
Nelson of Clear Lake; brother-in-law, Arnold (Madlyn) Duitscher as well as
numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; step-mother; and sister, Vernalda.