Harold “Gus” Nelson 1931 - 2019

LEE, NELSON

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 9/7/2019 at 22:24:20

Harold “Gus” Nelson
January 4, 1931 ~ May 27, 2019 (age 88)

Harold “Gus” Nelson, 88, of Sloan, Iowa passed away Monday, May 27, 2019 at Burgess Health Center in Onawa, Iowa.

Memorial services will be 10:30 A.M. Friday, June 7, 2019, at the Community Church of Christ in Sloan, Iowa, with Dr. Emery Killian officiating.

Burial will follow in the Sloan Cemetery with Military Honors provided by the United States Air Force. Visitation will be 5:00 – 7:00 P.M. Thursday, June 6, 2019 at the Sloan Café.

Arrangements are under the direction of Rush Family Care Service in Onawa, Iowa.

Harold was born January 4, 1931 in Castana, Iowa the son of Nels and Lela (Lee) Nelson. He graduated from Castana High School in 1948. He played baseball and basketball in high school and was on the Castana baseball town team. He graduated from Barber School in 1951.

Harold enlisted in the United States Air Force and served from 1951 to 1955 becoming an Air Traffic Controller. Gus married Bertha Nelson on May 1, 1952. They lived in Sloan and he worked as a Controller at the Sioux City Airport for over twenty-five years, retiring in August of 1981. During retirement, he had many jobs including: Sloan Maintenance Assistant from 1987-1996, on the paint crew for two years, field help for the Longvall family, and the Sloan Family Car Wash for many years.

He was a member and served as Sloan Golf Club Board Chairman from 2002-2005. Harold was a member and very active in the Community Church of Christ.

Harold was asked and attended the Midwest Honor Flight in May of 2018.

He loved car races, golf, watching all sports, and playing the daily dime game with the men at the Sloan Café. He loved to joke and have fun. He always took great pride in his yard and home.

Survivors include his wife of sixty-seven years, Bertha Nelson of Sloan, IA; two daughters, Susan (Scott) Burtwistle of Stanton, NE and Terry George of Des Moines, IA; six grandchildren; thirteen great-grandchildren; two brothers, Lawrence Nelson of Mapleton, IA and Dean Nelson of Onawa, IA; sister-in-law, Jeannie Hughes; cousin, Marge Bueoy; and many other family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his son, David Nelson; parents, Nels and Lela (Lee) Nelson; brother, Burdette (wife-Mable); sister-in-law, Marquerite; and father-in-law and mother-in-law, Johnnie and Gertrude (Kelly) Hughes.

Condolences may be left online for the family at www.rushfamilycareservice.com