John Richard Nelson

John was born in Los Angeles, California, on June 9, 1948. He grew up and graduated high school in the fair lands of South Lake Tahoe, California. After graduating from high school, John studied at Sacramento State before enlisting in the Air Force, where he began his career in security. In 1972 he married Deborah Diane Beinhower, his best friend. He finished his higher education at Brigham Young University in 1978 with a BS in Justice Administration and was commissioned as an officer in the US Air Force where he continued his career path of security and his education with a Masters of Public Administration.

In 1990, John separated from the Air Force and became a stay-at-home dad to his four young children. He was famous in his family for making meatloaf that was actually delicious (his secret ingredient was grape jelly).

When his children were all in school, John returned to work, joining the South Dakota Department of Emergency Management. He later moved to Lakewood, Colorado, where he worked for the federal government, correcting military pay records. John was passionate about his work, and he took great pride in helping military families receive the benefits and pay they deserved.

John was a real gadget guy. He loved new technology so much, he once had to be rescued from a virtual reality game. He also loved genealogy, national parks (Yosemite was his favorite), movies, opera, classical music, traveling, road trips, views from the tops of mountains, dessert, books, science fiction, fantasy, and tongue-in-cheek humor.

John had a soft spot for animals, especially cats. As a child, he rescued a baby raccoon he named Bandit. As a young adult, he rescued a fox he named Foxy. In his later years, he often spent his spare time visiting cats in shelters in the Denver area.

John spent the last 15 years of his life befriending the friendless, always showing up to help, sharing puns, eating strawberry crepes, and exploring life experiences of who he truly was, a Peter Pan type who never wanted to grow up.

John was preceded in death by his wife, Deborah; his father, John Archie Nelson; his mother, Shirley Mae Epps; and his brother, Dale A Epps. He is survived by his four children, Linnea Azizyan, Arwyn Nelson, John Destin (Carla) Nelson, and Verity (Brian) Rogers; his sister, Gale A Epps; and seven grandchildren, Vernon Nelson, Anabel Nelson, and Wesley Nelson, Skylar Rogers, Paige Rogers, Ender Rogers, and Aliena Rogers.

A funeral service will be held at 11 am on Friday, September 29, 2023, at 9227 W Dartmouth Place, Lakewood, CO, with a viewing before. John will be laid to rest with his wife in the blessed land of Gambier, OH.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests considering donating blood and blood products to your local blood bank. Donated blood saved his life many times over and he was always grateful for every unit he received.

May John Nelson rest in peace in the Undying Lands, where he will be reunited with his loved ones and enjoy all the things he loved most in life: books, cats, and the company of good friends.

Namarie, John.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.advantagerunyan-stevenson.com for the Nelson family.