Arthur William “Art” Nelson (1915-1990)

Arthur William “Art” Nelson

Birth

7 Sep 1915

Kenmare, Ward County, North Dakota, USA

Death

11 Nov 1990 (aged 75)

Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington, USA

Burial

New Tacoma Cemetery

University Place, Pierce County, Washington, USA Add to Map

Plot

Lot 2 Block A

Memorial ID

View Source

ARTHUR WILHELM 4 (NELSEN) NELSON (Christian³, Nels² Nelsen, Casper¹ Nielsen)
Arthur changed his last name from Nelsen to Nelson when he moved from his birthplace in Kenmare, ND to go out west to Seattle, WA.

ARTHUR WILLIAM (NELSEN) NELSON(twin) 75 yrs old was born Sept. 7, 1915 in Kenmare, Ward County, ND. He died on Nov. 11, 1990 in Tacoma, WA the 4th of eight children born to Christian and Anna (Christensen) Nelsen of Kenmare, ND.

He spent his childhood years in Kenmare, ND and graduated from Kenmare High School in 1933. After High School he drove an electric bus out to Seattle, WA and then worked as an Auto Mechanic for the Chevrolet Motor Company. At that time there were so many Nelsens that he changed his last name to Nelson.

Art was married on July 5, 1940 in Olympia, WA to Violet Rose Piller, daughter of John Pillar and Mary Teska of Valley City, ND and originally from Prague, Slovakia, Violet's parents were owners of the Piller Theater in Valley City, ND. He met Vi (nickname) on a blind date at the Spanish Castle, a ballroom dance place.

Then Art worked for Boeing – Experimental Department of Flight Research in Seattle. He was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Force and spent two years in France and Germany (April 26, 1945).

After WWII Art and Vi settled in Tacoma, WA and he worked again for Chevrolet Motor Company for five years. In 1958 Art worked for the United States Penitentiary at McNeil Island, WA as a Senior Officer Prison Guard where he received the Sustained Superior Performance Award in 1976 from the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Prisons. He retired after twenty years in 1977.
Art and Vi had three children:

1.Gary Dennis Nelson, (Feb. 14, 1942-May 5, 1960 died in Auto accident

2. Michael David Nelson (Aug. 21, 1947 -) m. Marless May Adams b. Aug. 15, 1953 d. May 29, 1993 Two children Serena and Dennis. Marless also had Tabtha Lyn Nelson, b. Nov. 1990.

3. Gail Rita Nelson Jan 26,

Art is preceded in death by his son Gary Dennis Nelson, his parents, Christ and Anne Nelsen, and his daughter-in-law, Marless May Adams Nelson.