Eldon Nelson, 92, of Clearfield died Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. He was born Nov. 26, 1920, the son of Ai William and Pearl (Miller) Nelson.
Mr. Nelson attended the Clearfield schools.
He was a coal miner for his uncle, Arnold Nelson, a floral designer for Collins’ Greenhouse and a metal worker in construction before being called to serve in the U.S. Army.
Mr. Nelson was a veteran and served as a Sergeant in the 380th Combat Engineering Company A. He was in World War II in the Philippines and occupational Army of Japan. He received the Good Conduct medal, World War II Victory Ribbon, Army Occupation Medal, Asiatic –Pacific Theater Ribbon and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon.
After returning from the war, he worked as an offset-journeyman pressman for Kurtz Bros. for 38 years before retiring in 1985.
He was a member of the Christian Missionary & Alliance Church of Clearfield, where he served on the Board of Directors and as an elder. Prior to that, he was a trustee and deacon at the First Baptist Church of Clearfield. He was known as a spiritual leader to family and friends.
He was an avid gardener and well-known for sharing his harvest with family and friends. In his younger years, he enjoyed sports such as hunting, ice skating and baseball. He also enjoyed baking pies, cookies, fruit cakes and zucchini bread.
He is survived by four children, Darlene Leonard and her husband, Dale of Albuquerque, NM, Cheryl Robison and her husband, Chuck of Clearfield, David Nelson and his wife, Judy of Glen Richey and John Scott Nelson and his wife, Sharon of Harrisburg.
Also surviving are 10 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; a brother, Kenneth Nelson and his wife Betty; four sisters, Shirley Lansberry, Jane Shugarts and her husband, Max, Carol Catherman and her husband, James, Ruth Bock and her husband, William, all of Clearfield; three sisters-in-law, Janet Nelson and Dorothy Nelson, both of Clearfield and Ruth Nelson of Pittsburgh.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Frances Ruth (Dunlap) Nelson, whom he married June 11, 1941 and who died July 22, 1987; three brothers, Willard Nelson, Richard Nelson and Sherman Nelson; a sister, Ella Mae Lindvall and her husband, John; and a sister-in-law, Susie Nelson.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Clearfield Christian & Missionary AlliancenChurch with Dr. Duane White officiating. Burial will be in the Crown Crest Memorial Park, Hyde.
Military honors will be accorded at the church by the Clearfield American Legion Post #6 and the VFW Post #1785 Honor Guard.
Friends will be received from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. and from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Wednesday at Bennett and Houser Funeral Home Inc., Clearfield, and from 10 a.m. until the hour of services Thursday at the church.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Arthritis Foundation International, P.O. Box 96280, Washington, DC 20077 or ALS Association of Western PA, 416 Lincoln Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15209.
To send online tributes, go to www.bennettandhouser.com or www.mem.com.