Nelson was born on February 1, 1955 in Brookhaven, MS. He was the beloved son of Nelson and Mary Gibson. Nelson graduated from Culver Military Academy in 1973, where he became an experienced horseman. During his time at Culver, he was a member of the Black Horse Troop and rode in President Nixon’s second inauguration. He attended Tulane University where he was a member of the Sigma Nu Fraternity and graduated in 1977 with degrees in history and geology. He went on to earn his MBA from Loyola University and was also a graduate of the LSU School of Banking. Nelson was very proud of his career in the banking industry. He started working in New Orleans at Hibernia National Bank before relocating to Jackson, MS where he worked at Trustmark National Bank for 31 years. He retired as a Senior Vice President in Corporate Banking in December of 2023.
Nelson was a member of the 1994 class of Leadership Mississippi and served as the treasurer of the Mississippi Blues Foundation. He was a member of the Country Club of Jackson where he enjoyed golfing. He was a kind, gentle man who loved history, was an avid reader, and had a real sense of humor. He loved Kathy, Georgia, and his family dearly.
Nelson is survived by his wife of almost 30 years, Kathy Gibson; daughter Georgia Hughey (Conner); sisters Melissa Lovett (John), Martha Gibson (Dennis Stampe), Sarah Nichols (Fred); mother-in-law Georgia Ann McPherson; cousins Alice Wygant, Mac Chambers, and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, as well as his brothers- and sisters-in-law, Bill McPherson (Draughon), Janet Webb, and Bradly MacNealy.
He was preceded in death by his parents Nelson and Mary Gibson, stepfather Donald Bohn, father-in-law John McPherson, brother-in-law Chuck Webb, and sister-in-law Duncan MacNealy.
Visitation will be held at Christ United Church in Jackson, Mississippi on Wednesday, March 11 from 1:00-2:00pm. A Celebration of Life will follow at 2:00pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Christ United Church- Music Ministry, 6000 Old Canton Rd, Jackson, MS 39211, The Mississippi Blues Foundation, P.O. Box 14041, Jackson, MS 39236, or Jackson Academy, 4908 Ridgewood Rd, Jackson, MS 39211. The family would like to thank his team at St. Dominic's for their care in his last days. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.
