March 4, 2020
Passed peacefully on March 4, 2020 in Amherst, Nova Scotia. Nelson was born in 1933 in Lake Killarney, Nova Scotia in a house built by his great-grandfather in 1822. Dad came to Campbell River in 1960 with his brother-in-law Danny Brown, among a contingent of Maritimers, family and friends, looking for opportunity and a better quality of life. They certainly found it. His wife and children soon followed.
Nelson and Shirley spent 29 years in Campbell River raising 5 children before retiring and returning to the East Coast. His first job was driving a logging truck through the magnificent timber of the Muchalet Valley in Gold River, before spending 28 years working at the Elk Falls mill. Dad was a spectacular gardener, always amazing people with what he could grow; an honest trait he inherited from his father, who was one of the premier and most well known vegetable farmers in Eastern Canada. He loved history and geography and wildlife and aviation and anything that involved the acquiring of knowledge. He was easy going and laid back and always enjoyed a good laugh.
He was pre-deceased by his parents Irene and Lloyd, brother Ben, wife Shirley, grandson Nathan and daughter in law Ileana. He is survived by his companion Betsy, sister Vivian(Lee) and sons Carl, Rick(Susan), Stephen(Bobbi), Gary(Tammy), and Mike(Susan) and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. He will be dearly missed.