James Ronald Nelson returned to his loving Heavenly Father on June 28, 2022. He passed away from complications of end stage Lewy Body Dementia. Ron was born January 30, 1937, to James Lowell Nelson and Florence Eleanor Nicholls in Cokeville Wyoming. He was raised in Montpelier Idaho by his loving mother and stepfather Del Kunz. Ron graduated from Montpelier High where he never missed a day of school. Ron attended the University of Idaho.
Ron met and married Renee Hatch in the Idaho falls LDS Temple on June 5, 1959. Ron and Renee had four beautiful children: Kelly (Marie) Nelson, Aliso Veijo, CA, Dawna (Brad) Anderson, Layton, Utah, Rhonda (Chris) Wheeler, Portland, OR, & Russ (Trea) Nelson, Goodyear, AZ. Renee was taken early from this life due to cancer in early 1989.
Ron met and married Louise Edwards Despain in the Salt Lake City LDS Temple in the fall of 1989. This marriage brought Ron four great stepchildren: Jason Despain, West Jordan, Utah, Kim (Scott) Mackey, St George, UT, Marcy (Robert) Rausch, Logan, UT & Bryan (Trisonya) Despain, SLC UT, to whom he became a loving and kind father.
Ron loved life. He loved dancing, hiking, traveling, searching for treasure on the Oregon coast, photography, and performing magic shows for the kids and anyone else who would watch. Ron enjoyed crafts, jewelry making, weaving dream catchers, and making LDS temples out of beads. Most of all, Ron loved his family. He loved family gatherings, especially when he was cooking his famous Dutch oven meals. Ron retired from Boeing after 37 years of employment.
Ron served in scouting for over 50 years and received the Silver Beaver award for his service. His children’s friends, and Ron’s family knew Ron as the “bird man”. He could imitate any bird he heard with his whistle and had most of them memorized. He had so much fun, making people, “look for the bird”, and it came in handy for finding stray kids. He often found friends in a crowd, who heard his whistle and knew that Ron must be around somewhere.
Ron was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. One calling that was near and dear to his heart was serving alongside Renee with the special needs mutual in Davis County. In addition to many church callings, he served at the Bountiful Temple for 18 years, six of those with his sweetheart, Louise. He and Louise served 3 years at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City as guest Services Missionaries. He was always there to serve others just as a friend or a neighbor.
Ron is survived by his wife Louise, eight children, nineteen grandchildren, and nine great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Renee, and sister Norma Lee Collins.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, July 9, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. at Kaysville East Stake Center, 201 S. 600 E., Kaysville Utah. Friends may visit family Friday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Kaysville Mortuary, 400 N. Main St. and Saturday morning from 9:30 to 10:30 at the Stake center.