Dear Donna, Wayne, and Carrie,
Our deepest condolences on Nelson’s passing; he was a loving and caring husband, father, and grandfather, and a brother I could look up to. The first thing that comes to mind when I think of my brother is how much he spoke of his family, and how proud he was of their accomplishments; this included his daughter in law, his son in law, and his grandchildren. He always spoke of all of them when we had a chat over the phone.
Growing up, I was the little brother. Nelson was my protector, and my teacher when I was small. I learned a lot from him about cars, racing, hunting, and archery as I grew. Girls too. As a parent, he was the most caring and generous guy, and I remembered all those traits years later when I became a parent. Nelson was a conscientious worker and deserved every accolade he received. A harder more meticulous worker you would not find. He excelled at his hobbies, biking, and archery, and found joy in participating in both these sports wholeheartedly.
And boy was he smart! He found Donna and together they built a family and a successful life together. Wedding vows include “in sickness and in health, till death do we part”. Donna was always there for him, no matter what, and to that end, she exemplified those vows. As the Tammy Wynette song says, she stood by her man.
The Bible says to everything there is a season, and this is the Autumn of our lives. Even though the circumstances are quite different, I am filled with grief to lose another brother.
Nelson, I will miss you. Rest in peace.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.
Love, Ronnie