Donald Ordway Nelson

DONALD ORDWAY NELSON….
was born to Peter and Hannah (Pederson) Nelson on January 30, 1917 at Tyler, Minnesota. He was a confirmed member of First English Lutheran Church in Tyler. He attended school in Tyler, graduating from Tyler High School in 1934. In 1936 he attended the Minnesota School of Business in Minneapolis. He returned to Tyler and was employed at Nelson Mercantile Store until he joined the Army Air Corps in December 1942. He was discharged in 1946 as a Staff Sergeant. He returned to Tyler and worked in the store with his father, until he became postmaster of the Tyler Post Office in 1955. During his tenure a new Post Office was built. After 20 years of Federal service (Army and Post Office), he retired.

Don married Margery Lauritsen in 1941. Their union was blessed with a son, Lon, and 45 years of life together. Margery died in 1986. In 1988 he married Avis (Johnson) Torgrimson of Worthington, Minnesota (originally from Hendricks, Minnesota) at First Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Don and Avis enjoyed trips to Arizona in the winter, where they volunteered at a children’s home, and volunteering at their church in Tyler.
In July 2011, he entered Colonial Manor Nursing Home of Balaton. He died there on Friday, January 20, 2012 at the age of 94 years, 11 months, and 20 days.

Don was a faithful member of First English Lutheran Church in Tyler. He served on several committees, directed a youth choir, and helped with the young people’s group. He was a charter member of the Tyler Kiwanis Club, a member of the American Legion, and worked with the Boy Scouts. He served on the Tyler Volunteer Fire Department for 25 years. He enjoyed hunting and fishing in his younger years and gardening in retirement. All of his years he enjoyed sports, particularly baseball and football, and music.

Don is lovingly remembered by his wife, Avis Nelson of Tyler; son, Lon Nelson and his wife Carol of Bloomington, Minnesota; grandchildren, Dana Nelson and his wife Miranda, and Andrea Nelson of Bloomington; stepchildren, Naomi Rasmussen and her husband Glen of Wessington Springs, South Dakota, Ivar Torgrimson and his wife Joanne of Omaha, Nebraska, Miriam Jensen and her husband Greg of Mesa, Arizona, Priscilla Fischer and her husband Bruce of Thief River Falls, Minnesota, and Daniel Torgrimson and his wife Martha of Albuquerque, New Mexico; 10 step-grandchildren; sisters, Carol Nielsen of Fort Myers, Florida, and Phyllis Moberg and her husband Gerald of Marshall, Minnesota; many nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Margery, his parents, sister, Irma, and two sisters who died in infancy. Blessed be his memory!