Gillis Nelson 1927 - 2004

NELSON, BORG, FUXA

Posted By: Connie Swearingen -Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/22/2018 at 23:07:46

Sioux City Journal
8 November 2004

Gillis Nelson, 77, of Sioux City died Friday, Nov. 5, 2004, at a local hospital.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Riverside Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Chuck Wolff officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 3 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m., a prayer service at 7 p.m., and a Masonic service at 7:30 p.m., at Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel (formerly Nelson-Berger Morningside Chapel).

Gillis was born March 25, 1927, in Wakefield, Neb., the son of David E. and Eleanor C. (Borg) Nelson. He attended the Glendale Country School east of Wakefield.

On May 22, 1971, he married Arlene Fuxa in Sioux City. They celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in 1996. Gillis was a commercial trucker and a skilled mechanic. He worked for Conner Transfer in Wakefield and Liveringhouse Trucking in Wayne, Neb. He drove seven years for TransAmerican Trucking Company and had his own truck and trailer for a time.

Later, he was employed as a towboat engineer on the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, first for the Upper Missouri Corporation and then became Chief Engineer on towboats for Sun De Transportation until his retirement. He was a loyal employee and a hard worker all his life.

Gillis enjoyed traveling, reading, his work shop, his poodles and since retirement, he had been a volunteer driver to the Shriner's Children's Hospital in Minneapolis. Over the years, Gillis had built up an impressive miniature tractor collection. In February of 1990, he presented his tractor collection in an interview for KCAU-TV Channel 9 in Siouxland. He was a member of Riverside Lutheran Church, Morningside Masonic Lodge 615, Sioux City Consistory, Abu Bekr Shrine, White Horse Mounted Patrol, Hospital Dads and Two Cylinder Club.

Survivors include his wife, Arlene, of Sioux City; his poodle, Lucy; a sister, Ruth Nelson Miner, of Sweden; two brothers, David Nelson Jr. of Chattanooga, Tenn. and John Nelson of Emerson, Neb; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Pallbearers will be his nephews, Tore Nelson, Aaron Nelson, Karl Nelson, Lee Miner, Brad Miner and Troxl Miner. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the White Horse Mounted Patrol and Hospital Dads.

Memorials may be directed to Abu Bekr Transportation Fund.