Kenneth Nelson

Kenneth Wayne Nelson, age 65 years of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin and formerly of Niles, Michigan died on Friday, May 4, 2012 following a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer.
He was born on April 25, 1947 in McKenzie, Tennessee to Lucian Ervin and Dovie Marie (Craig) Nelson. He graduated from Niles High School in 1965 with honors, winning the Simplicity Pattern Company Scholarship. He earned his Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Michigan, and Masters of Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame, both with honors.
Ken’s entire career was engineering for off-highway vehicle manufacturing, enjoying problem-solving, and exhibiting an unparalleled work ethic. He was first employed at Clark Equipment in Buchanan for nineteen years, continued at Rockwell, Case/CNH, TUG, Husqvarna, and Lift Technologies; and was last at Columbia Par Car, a division of Seats, Inc. in Reedsburg, Wisconsin.
In Niles, Ken was active in the fast pitch softball leagues as player, manager, and umpire. He has also participated in racquetball, tennis, and boating, and enjoyed the fellowship of chess, bridge, pinochle, and euchre. He also enjoyed taking extended family trips including cruises, and while working in France enjoyed trips throughout Europe.
On June 22, 1968 in Niles he married the former Jamie Rainelle Gillentine with whom he celebrated the forty-third anniversary of their wedding. He is survived by his wife, Jamie Nelson, and by their children, Amanda (& Jason) Dean of Sun Prairie, Brandon Nelson of Seneca, South Carolina, and Beau Nelson of also of Seneca; two-year-old grandson Evan Michael Dean of Sun Prairie; Ken’s mother, Dovie Marie Nelson of Dresden, Tennessee; Ken’s brothers and sisters, Rick (& Debbie) Nelson, Greg Nelson, Jim Nelson, Debbie (& Bob) Hames, and Judy (& Glen) Peck, all of Niles; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his father, Lucian, and younger brother, Mitchell.
Services for Ken Nelson will be at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 25, 2012 at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles with Pastor David Szymczak of the First Church of Christ in Niles officiating. The family will receive relatives and friends at the funeral home beginning at Noon on Saturday.
Contributions in memory of Ken may be made to the American Cancer Society, or to the Agrace HospiceCare, 5395 East Cheryl Parkway, Madison, Wisconsin, 53711.