Born on the family farm in MacGregor on September 30, 1933, Nelson was the oldest of ten children.  He attended Macauley School, driving horses to school every day. 

Nelson was a member of the boy scouts and enjoyed playing softball and baseball.  As a young boy he enjoyed going to the Poplar Leaf Community Club where there was a sheet of ice for skating and playing hockey, and also a sheet of ice for curling.

Nelson was the father of three children; Marylin (Eric) Allan, Penny Hulme, and Ryan (Mallory) Hulme, and stepfather of Gailyn (Rick) Whincup and Laureen Gerbrandt.

Nelson had many grandchildren; Nicole (Derek) , Greg (Catarina) , Ben and Owen, Neil (Marley) , Jared (Karlynne) , Misty (Steven) , TJ and Ty  and great grandchildren; Whitney, Eloise, Bridget, Mason, Ethan, Maddox, Maverick, Adrianne and Aurora.

Nelson worked in construction for eight years away from home but was always a farmer.  He received his diploma in Agriculture from the University of Manitoba in 1951.  Nelson spent the rest of his life on the farm and working in the community.  He enjoyed breaking land and planting trees improving the land.  He enjoyed going to the coffee shop and he had some of the best friends in the world.  He will be long remembered by all.