Robert Nelson, Sr.

Robert "Bob" William Nelson Sr., age 81, of Hackensack, passed away Saturday, March 1, 2008. He was born March 27, 1926, in Litchfield , Minnesota. He lived in Cosmos and Litchfield. He graduated from Litchfield High School in 1944. After high school he served in the Army during WWII. He graduated from St. Cloud Teacher's College in 1950, where he also played basketball. On July 9, 1950, he married Eleanor Macklin in Litchfield, Minnesota. He taught and coached in Byron, Gaylord, Crosby-Ironton, and Inver Grove Heights. He retired in 1980, and moved to live permanently at the cabin that he built on Portage Lake, in Hackensack. He enjoyed many years of hunting, fishing, wild ricing, maple syruping, wood working, and following his son Bob's basketball teams. Trips to Canada fishing, especially one with his children and grandchildren, pheasant hunting with his friends, and two trips to China with Ellie were highlights in recent years.
Bob was the only son of Bill and Hilda Nelson. He was husband to Ellie, and dad to Terry, Bob (Betsy), Marybeth (Keith), Becky (Randy), and Eric. He was grandpa to Isaac, Owen, Adam (Carrie), Britt, Molly (Erik), Ellie, Levi, and Ben, and great grandpa to Trey and Ty. He was brother-in-law to Phoebe (Randy) Vosbeck, Mary Jones, John Macklin, and Judy Macklin and "Uncle Bob" to many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters-in-law B. J. Macklin and Jean (Gail) Johnson; and brothers-in-law Ken Jones and Bill (Becky) Macklin.
He will be remembered as a generous, giving person who always had time for others. Everyone he met he wanted to know where they were from, what they did, and "do you know so-and-so" making connections with all. He spent time helping at Union Congregational Church and building homes for Habitat for Humanity.
A memorial service will be held at 1:00 PM on Friday, March 7, 2008 at the Union Congregational Church in Hackensack. Rev. Michael Small will officiate. Memorial donations may go to a Basketball Scholarship or the Hackensack Area Hospice House.