Rev. Harold I. Nelson

Nelson Rev. Harold I. Nelson, age 92, of Edina, passed away April 2, 2003. He was born on a farm near Lake Preston, South Dakota to Andrew and Anna Nelson. After 8th grade, he worked as a farm hand in the upper midwest until age 25. He attended the Lutheran Bible Institute in Mpls, and graduated from Augustana Academy in Canton, SD, Augsburg College in Mpls, and Luther Seminary in St. Paul. He met the love of his life, Helen Fevold, at Augustana Academy, and they married in 1942. He served parishes in Souris, ND and Ottawa, IL, before he worked as a mission developer in Lindenhurst and Morris, IL. Post retirement work included visitation ministry in Oak Lake, IL, work as Good Will Ambassador at Pleasant View Lutheran Home in Ottawa, IL, and interim ministry at Norway Lake Lutheran Church, Sunburg, MN. Full retirement at age 85 found him at their Norway Lake home near Sunburg during the summer. A final move came in 2000, when they moved to Edina, where he died peacefully at home surrounded by his family. A faithful and gracious pastor of the church, he was a kind, generous, engaging, and energetic person who was not a stranger to anyone. He was preceded in death by his parents, Andrew and Anna; brothers, Leonard, Earl, Richard and Herb; sisters, Alvilda Skurdal and Margaret. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Helen; sons, Rev. Paul (Sandy) Nelson and Mark (Gayle) Nelson; daughters, Solveig Nilsen and Sonja (John) Nelson-Gurda; eleven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Memorials preferred to Luther Seminary Scholarships, or Ebenezer Society. Interment Lakewood Cemetery. Funeral service Sunday, 2:30 pm at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 48th St. & France Ave S., Mpls. Visitation 1 hour prior to service at church and also Saturday from 3-6 pm at: WERNESS BROTHERS 3500 West 50th Street 612-927-8641

Published on April 3, 2003