Mark Anthony Nelson Sr.

If you ever heard a freshly rebuilt Harley rumble down the street after midnight, chances are Mark Nelson was nearby. Born in Enid, Oklahoma, to Betty Leslie and William Nelson, Mark learned the value of hard work from his first days on a construction crew all the way through his last Tuesday morning in San Antonio, Texas.

Mark spent his youth as a carpenter, putting in long days on job sites and building custom Harleys. That hands-on skill was more than just a trade; it was how he looked after the people around him. He loved music and once had a great guitar collection. You could hear him clear across the lake he once lived near, playing so loudly the neighbors had no choice but to enjoy the show.

He spent the last decade and a half of his life in prosthetics and orthotics, working alongside his sons and grandson, helping people walk again. In that field, you could always tell when something had passed through the Nelson shop; there was a certain quality, a signature, to the work he and his family put out.

He always tried to keep his word and make sure his family was taken care of. If times ever got tight, he’d find a way, sometimes letting go of things he once treasured, but never hesitating when it came to keeping the lights on or putting food on the table. He was a hard man, but one who softened with age. He spent most of his life in California, but he brought his family to Texas for a better life, and that’s exactly what it was. He had a way of making friends anywhere he went, and over the years he left a lasting impression on everyone from coworkers to neighbors to family.

He is survived by his wife, Tina Nelson; his sons, Mark Nelson Jr. (wife Evangelina Nelson), Matt Nelson, and Joe Nelson; his grandchildren, Lela Nelson and Taylor Navarro; and many friends who valued his straight talk and steady hand. Mark was preceded in death by his parents, Betty Leslie and William Nelson; his brother, William “Buddy” Nelson Jr.; and his sister, Diane Nelson.

He’ll be remembered not just for the work he did, but for how many lives he helped shape, sometimes with a wrench, sometimes with just a word.