Norman Ronald (Ron) Nelson, age 75 of Burtrum, MN, passed away peacefully on Monday, October 19, 2020.
Born in Hayward CA, he grew up the eldest son and the member of a very large family with 9 brothers and sisters. He enlisted in the Navy at age 18 and served his country for 4 years. He married in 1969 and relocated from CA to Mpls., MN by 1974. There he attended Dunwoody College of Technology. He received a degree in tool and die making, which put him on coarse for a lengthy career as a machinist/machine repair who was employed by Honeywell in Golden Valley, MN for 30+ years. As a lover of trains and a member of a “Train Club” he was a master of his craft. With his extraordinary ability to machine metal, he would construct scale sized locomotives from a print, machining most every piece. Right down to the tiny sliding passenger car windows, he would leave no detail undone. He was no doubt very proud of his award winning creations.
He is preceded in death by his parents Norman Carl and Jane Nelson and sisters Jeannette Nunes and Marty Anderson all of Newberry Springs, CA.
He is survived by his wife Vallery of 51 years; son Glenn of Chandler, AZ; daughters Joni, Ruth (Clarence) of Mpls., MN and Jessica (Jerry) of Rosemont, MN; grandchildren Gabrielle, Vanessa, Elise, Jerry III and Cameron; great grandchildren Dominic, Rylee, Amelia and Nathaniel; sisters Carol, Pat and Janey; and brothers Danny, Robert, Rick and Mark; and many, many, many extended relatives.
Ron will receive full Military Honors at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, but due to Covid 19 restrictions, he will have a private burial with only immediate family in attendance.
