Ray "Whitey" Nelson 1940 - 2019

NELSON, MARTENS, LUSSIER

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 9/19/2019 at 21:51:42

Sioux City Journal
7 May 2019

Salix, Iowa

Ray "Whitey" Nelson, 79, of Salix, passed away peacefully at his home Saturday, May 4, 2019, surrounded by his family.

Memorial services will be 11 a.m. Thursday at Waterbury Funeral Service of Sioux City. Private family burial will be in Sloan City Cemetery at a later date. Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, with a prayer service at 7 p.m., at the funeral home.

He was born on April 9, 1940, in Little Sioux, Iowa, to Art and Ella (Martens) Nelson. On June 3, 1942, he was baptized by the Rev. H.W. Mueller from St. John's Lutheran Church in Little Sioux. As a young boy, his family relocated to Salix, where he attended public school and helped on the family farm.

He was united in marriage to Janice Lussier in Elk Point, S.D., on Jan. 30, 1965. He helped with the Nelson family farm for several years and then continued to farm on his own. He also worked at Cargill Elevator, Wilbert Vault and FMC. He was a lifelong resident of Salix.

Whitey was a devoted and loving husband, father and grandfather. He loved farming, especially driving the CAT. He enjoyed watching western movies and NASCAR races. He collected many Jeff Gordon race car items.

He is survived by his wife, Janice; his children, Sharla Dicks of Salix, Jeff (Peggy) Nelson of Salix, Nancy (Bruce Full) Nelson of Sergeant Bluff, Penny (Dave) Jensen of Sioux City, Betty (Ben) Gilbert of Salix, Vicky (Jay) Doucette of New Port Richey, Fla., and Mike (Sarah) Nelson of Sioux City; 14 grandchildren; several great-grandchildren with one on the way; brother, Fred (Ella) Nelson of Salix; brother-in-law, Don Rogers of Des Moines; sisters-in-law, Doris Nelson of San Antonio, Texas, and Shirley (David) Menard of Sergeant Bluff; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Art and Ella Nelson; brothers, Leon, Byron, Charles, and Robert; two sisters, Doris Rogers and Mary Anne Dvorkin; brothers-in-law, Brian Dvorkin, Bill Lussier and Elmer Ford; and sisters-in-law, JoAnn Lussier and Sheila Ford.

The family would like to thank all of our family and friends for their love and support as well as Burgess Hospice for their ongoing compassion and care.