John Nelson

John "Jack" Nelson, age 64, of Hillsboro, ND and formerly of Nielsville, MN and Fosston, MN, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday (March 1nd) at his home in Hillsboro. Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday (March 7th) at the Carlin-Hoialmen Funeral Home in Fosston with Pastor Gerald Nilsen officiating. Interment will be in Poplar Lake Lutheran Cemetery at a later date. Family will greet friends for one hour prior to the service on Friday at the funeral home. Military honors will be provided by the National Guard Honors Team. Arrangements are with the Carlin-Hoialmen Funeral Home of Fosston and messages of condolence may be sent at carlinhoialmen.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.John Francis Nelson was born on August 30, 1949 in Crookston, Minnesota to parents Jerome and Kay (Sinjim) Nelson. He grew up in Fosston and graduated from Fosston High School in 1968. In September of 1968, Jack enlisted in the United States Navy, serving his country with the Sea Bees during Vietnam. He received his honorable discharge in February of 1970 and returned to Fosston. He was married to Ruth Hamlin and they lived in Long Beach, California where Jack was a construction foreman. They divorced and Jack moved back to the area and began work for Crookston Welding. In 1975, he opened a welding business in Climax, Minnesota with a business partner, Carl Tofsley. The business was called Climax Welding. Jack was married to Cheryl Fjerstad on January 21, 1978 in Fosston. They moved to Nielsville, Minnesota in 1982 and he operated the welding business until the mid 1989. He then was employed with Merrill Farms of Climax until 2004 when he retired. Jack and Cheryl were also divorced in 2004.After his retirement, Jack lived for a short time in Moorhead, Minnesota and then settled in Hillsboro, North Dakota. He liked to travel and visit with family and friends. He had attended Poplar Lake Lutheran Church near Fosston and St. Petri Lutheran Church in Nielsville. He was born again while attending the Apostolic Bible Church in Moorhead. He liked hunting, fishing, and was a very good welder, mechanic, and well-known story teller. He was also a volunteer fireman in Nielsville and Climax. He enjoyed his cars and in recent years enjoyed building model cars. He was a member of the VFW and American Legion.Survivors include his children, Christopher (Kristie) Nelson of Eagle River, AK, Crystal (Brandon) Nelson-Pilon of Grand Forks, ND, Jason (Krystal) Nelson of Nielsville, MN, and Jessica Nelson of Grand Forks, ND; grandchildren, Shelby (Matthew) Allen, Rachel Nelson, Seth Nelson, Kaitlyn Nelson, Jade Nelson, Jasmine Nelson, Xavier Suarez, and Braylon Nelson; one great grandson, Sawyer Allen; siblings, Stefanie (Larry) Roed of Fosston, Gail (Bruce) Pearson of Lengby, Jannae (Ron) Kawalczik of Crookston, Kendlynn (Richard) Evje of Lengby, and Forrest Nelson of Roseau, MN; his former wife, Cheryl Nelson of Nielsville. Nieces, nephews and cousins also survive.He was preceded in death by his parents, Jerome and Kay; and several aunts and uncles; and his first wife, Ruth.