Funeral services for Raymond Ellsworth Nelson, 84, of Albert Lea will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Trinity Lutheran Church.The Rev. Curtis Zieske and the Rev. Kenneth Jensen will officiate. Interment will be at Hillcrest Cemetery with military hHonors accorded by area veteran’s organizations. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service at the church.
Raymond died Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009, at Thorne Crest Retirement Community.
Raymond Ellsworth Nelson was born on Dec. 31, 1924, to Henry and Emma (Hovland) Nelson in Albert Lea. He was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church. Raymond graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1942 and attended Luther Academy for a short time. Raymond then went into the United States Navy where he served in the Philippines during World War II. On Aug. 12, 1945, he was united in marriage to Kathleen Kline at Trinity Lutheran Church. Raymond worked for Foley Construction and Paul Olson Construction as a carpenter. He built his own home in the late 1950s. Raymond later worked as plant layout engineer for Queen Stoves, retiring in 1982. He was a life long member of Trinity Lutheran Church, a member of the American Legion and VFW. Raymond played church league softball and was inducted into the Freeborn County Softball Hall of Fame. He also loved playing golf in his spare time.
Survivors include his daughter, Sue and husband, Gary Hunnicutt of Geneva; son, Reed Nelson of Albert Lea; grandchildren: Amy and husband, Alex Kromminga of Dover, Eric Hunnicutt and significant other, Alissa Abrams and her daughter Brooklyn of Albert Lea, Lisa and husband, Nick Vreeman of Rochester, Shawn Nelson of Winona and Garrett Nelson of Denver, Colo.; great-grandchildren: Zack and Paige Kromminga of Dover, Duncan Kromminga of Albert Lea, and Alisha Nelson of Denver, Colo.; and several cousins.
Raymond was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Kathleen; and great-grandsons: Braden Vreeman in 2007 and Jaden Vreeman in 2009.