Robert Duane "Ozzie" NELSON

NELSON, DUVALL, TURNER, NICHOLSON, EEKHOFF, SHAW

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/6/2007 at 10:59:07

February 11, 2003

Robert D. "Ozzie" Nelson, 77, died on Thursday, February 6, 2003. Funeral services were held on Tuesday, February 11, at the United Methodist Church in Belmond, with Pastor Mike Druhl and Pastor Paddy Druhl officiating. Music was provided by Maxine Whitty, organist and JoAn Skyrme, keyboard and special music by Jeremiah Nelson, guitar. Casket bearers were Jeremiah Nelson, Joshua Nelson, Spencer Nelson, Jonathan Nelson, Anna DuVall, Wayne DuVall and Kevin Knoll. Ushers were Rob Courson and Owen Bateson. Interment was in the Belmond Cemetery, with graveside military rites provided by the Belmond Honor Guard.

Robert Duane, the son of Oscar and Carrie Shaw Nelson, was born on January 13, 1926 in Belmond. He grew up in Belmond and in high school Ozzie excelled in basketball and baseball. He graduated from the Belmond High School in 1944. In 1945 he entered the U.S. Army and was honorably discharged in 1947. Ozzie married Emma Eekhoff on January 4, 1948, at the United Church of Christ in Clarion. They then traveled to Florida where Ozzie participated in a baseball school for the minor league farm team for the Boston Red Sox. The couple made their home in Belmond, where Ozzie began working for his father at Oscar Nelson Sand and Gravel. He continued to run the gravel pits with his family after Oscar died in 1962. Ozzie worked at the south pit until 1965 and then at the north pit until retiring in 1990. Ozzie is remembered by family and friends, alike, for his fun loving personality and varied interests. Ozzie and Em enjoyed spending their winters in Fort Myers. He enjoyed playing his songs on the keyboard. He liked watching baseball and basketball. The Chicago Cubs was his team. Ozzie loved golf and was Club Champion at the Belmond Country Club in 1979. Ozzie belonged to the American Legion and V.F.W. in Belmond and the Loyal Order of The Moose in Fort Myers Beach. He was one of the original board members of the Belmond Country Club and was a life time member of Slippery Elm in Klemme. Ozzie was a member of the Belmond United Methodist Church.

Ozzie was preceded in death by his parents. Ozzie is survived by his wife; daughter, Tammy (Wayne) DuVall of Goodell; sons, Terry (Carla) Nelson of Rochester, Minnesota and Tyler (Sue Ann) Nelson of Thornton; grandchildren, Jeremiah, Joshua, Jonathan, Anna and Spencer; sisters, Genevieve (Ralph) Turner of Belmond, Shirley Nicholson of Belmond and Marilyn (George) Eekhoff of Belmond; and brother, Eugene (Marge) Nelson of Belmond.

©Belmond Independent 2003