Obituary of Wilbert Nelson

Wilbert Nelson went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on July 27, 2014 at GracePointe Crossing West in Cambridge, following a major stroke. Wilbert was born November 20, 1927 to Albert and Naemi Nelson in Hinckley, Minnesota and grew up on a farm near Sandstone, MN. He attended his first four years of school in a one-room schoolhouse then went to school in Sandstone through his sophomore year of high school. In 1942 his family moved to Seattle, Washington where Wilbert graduated from high school. He worked at the Boeing Aircraft Plant bucking rivets on B17s during his junior year of high school. After graduation he signed on as an ordinary seaman with the U.S. Merchant Marines making many trips to Hawaii, Italy, Shanghai, Japan, and the east coast. After leaving the Merchant Marines he worked on painting a bridge in Coos Bay, Oregon. In 1950 he was drafted for the Korean War and went to radio and radar school at Fort Monmouth, NJ, to computer school at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland, and then to Ft. Bliss in El Paso, TX, experimenting with guided missiles and buzz bombs from Germany. He was discharged October 5, 1956 after serving four years in the U.S. Army Reserve. After his discharge he and his Brother, Herbert, opened a TV repair shop in Minneapolis until a car accident laid him up for many months. In 1958 he bought a small resort on Big Pine Lake in Finlayson, MN. Wilbert worked for another TV repair shop in Minneapolis during that time. He also attended University of Minnesota for almost two years. He met his wife, Leora, in 1964 and they were married September 18, 1965 in Minneapolis at Salem Evangelical Free Church. They resided in Minneapolis for seven years before moving to Finlayson, and then to a farm east of Sandstone, MN where they lived for almost 25 years. Wilbert worked as an electrician in St. Paul and retired at the age of 62. Two children, Kirk and Chandra, were born during that time. In 1998 they moved to Rockford, IL where Leora had accepted a position as a librarian. In 2004 they moved to Cambridge, MN. Wilbert attended First Baptist Church in Cambridge where he was a part of a small group Bible Study and also a men's Bible Study at Cambridge Lutheran Church. Prior to moving to Cambridge Wilbert was active in the Evangelical Free Church as a trustee, Sunday school teacher, and Awana leader. He enjoyed the outdoors-hunting, fishing, camping, and especially farming. He also enjoyed stamp collecting, reading, studying Bible prophecy, and playing board and card games with friends, family, and neighbors. Wilbert and Leora traveled all 50 states and to Israel with their children. Wilbert was preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Naemi, brothers Herbert and Gordon, and sister Louise Johnsen. He will be greatly missed by his wife Leora, son Kirk of Lino Lakes, daughter Chandra of Miami, FL, sister Ruth (Richard) Carlson of Woodland, WA, a cousin, and nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at 11AM on Friday, August 1, 2014 at First Baptist Church in Cambridge with Rev. Bob Jonsson officiating. A visitation will be one hour prior to services. Interment will be at 11:45AM on Monday, August 4, 2014 at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. Arrangements are in the care of Carlson-Lillemoen Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Cambridge. www.carlsonlillemoen.com