James “Jim” C. Nelson

James “Jim” C. Nelson, 84 of Cairo, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, May 12, 2023 at CHI Health - St. Francis in Grand Island. 

Services will be held at 10:30 AM on Saturday, May 20, 2023 at the Faith Lutheran Church in Nysted, Nebraska. Inurnment will be in the Loup Fork Cemetery near Boelus, Nebraska.  Pastor Bob Carlson will be officiating. 

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 PM on Friday at Jacobsen-Greenway-Dietz Funeral Home in St. Paul. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Dannebrog/Boelus Rescue-Fire Department, Cairo QRT, or the Heartland Lutheran High School Tuition Assistance Program. 

Jim was born on June 21,1938 to John and Mildred (Christensen) Nelson in St. Paul, Nebraska.  He lived on the family farm where his grandparents and great-grandparents had also lived. His cousin, Mary McCoy Miller was also raised by his parents. Jim attended grade school and high school in Boelus, graduating in 1956. He was confirmed at the Dry Creek Lutheran Church in Boelus and was a current member of Faith Lutheran Church in Nysted.  He attended Milford Trade School for a short time and returned home to farm with his father. 

He was united in marriage to Marilyn Ann Wheeler on September 1, 1957 at the Dry Creek Lutheran Church near Boelus.  He served on the Howard County Soil and Water Conservation Board which became part of the Lower Loup National Resource District of which he was a director for 45 years.  He was a director on the Farmers Union Board and the Boelus School Board. He was a member of the Central Nebraska Antique Tractor Club. 

Those left to cherish his memory include his children, Michael and Victoria Nelson, Linda and Jerry Woitaszewski, Laurie and Dan Harders, Patty and Paul Pedroza; 15 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Veda Bruner; and cousin, Mary Miller.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Marilyn; and son-in-law, Ken Gallagher.

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