Dec. 23, 1930 - Nov. 29, 2013

ELKHART — Jack W. Nelson, 82, of Elkhart passed away at 12:46 p.m., on Friday, Nov. 29, 2013, at Elkhart General Hospital after a brief illness.

He was born in Elkhart on Dec. 23, 1930, to the late Raymond A. and Blanche H. (Veatch) Nelson. On Dec. 26, 1996, he married Gayle G. Capper in Elkhart. She survives at home.

Also surviving are daughters Debra (Greg) Stemm of Elkhart, Carol (Daryl) Schultheis of Lewisville, Tex., Janet Albaugh of LaGrange and Kathleen (Gary) Beard of Goshen; sons Randy (Sue) Nelson and David (Kim) Nelson, both of Elkhart, Robert (Sherry) Albaugh of Mishawaka and John Nelson of Michigan; sisters Jean Douglas of Fredericksburg, Va., Marilyne Mann of Goshen, Grace Shaum of Edwardsburg, Mich., and Tonia Harris of South Bend; 19 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.

Sisters Dorothy Pletcher, Arlene and Betty Buss and Sheila Kirts, as well as brother Raymond Nelson preceded Jack in death.

A celebration of Jack's life will begin with visitation Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2013, from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at Billings Funeral Home in Elkhart.

Visitation will be at noon with the funeral service beginning at 1 p.m on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2013, at First Congregational Church, 431 S. Third St., Elkhart. Pastor Rob Van Ness will officiate and burial will follow in Prairie Street Cemetery in Elkhart.

Jack worked as a steel fabricator at several area steel manufacturers during his life, retiring in 2000. He was a member of First Congregational Church, Dunlap Lions Club and was a dedicated volunteer at Suzanna's Kitchen. He loved to spend time conversing with people and making new friends, as well as spending time with his grandchildren and family. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving on the destroyer USS Storm during the Korean War.

Memorial donations may be given to Suzanna's Kitchen. On-line condolences may be sent to the family at www.billingsfuneralhome.com.

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