Keith Nelson

Keith L. Nelson, age 80, of Litchfield died at his home on Sunday, February 8, 2009. Memorial services will be held at 10:00 AM on Thursday, February 12, 2009 at the Zion Lutheran Church in Litchfield with Pastor Harvey Nelson officiating. Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM on Wednesday at the Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home and will continue on hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will take place in the Lake Benton Hilltop Cemetery later in the year. Keith LeMoine Nelson, the son of Floyd and Laura (Briffett) Nelson, was born September 26, 1928, in Lake Benton, Minnesota. He grew up and received his education in Lake Benton, graduating from the Lake Benton High School in 1946. Following high school, Keith entered the U.S. Navy, serving until 1948. He then sought his post-secondary education at South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD. On November 5, 1950, he was united in marriage to Laura Bonnie Olson in Minneapolis, MN. He attended Mankato State College, receiving a degree in business and later earned a degree in secondary education as well. In 1955, he began teaching in Verdi, MN. He then moved his family to Milan, MN, and taught for five years. Relocating to Litchfield in 1965, he taught for 21 years before retiring in 1986. While teaching in Litchfield he received his masters degree in business education from St. Cloud State College. He enjoyed sharing teaching time between the Central Minnesota Area Vocational program and Litchfield High School. Keith was an active member of Zion Lutheran Church serving several terms as secretary and as treasurer. He also served as treasurer for the food shelf. He valued the public service work of the Litchfield Lions, in which he was an active member. He enjoyed fishing and hunting. Friendship was very important to Keith and besides still keeping in touch with high school friends, he valued his circle of fishing, teaching and morning coffee friends. Family and friends relied on Keith for advice, help on projects, and for answers to “life’s questions” in general—which were quite often given with wisdom, blended with an “off-beat” sense of humor. Family was central to Keith. He loved to be surrounded by family, and if they could not physically be there, he enjoyed long phone conversations and frequent e-mails with them. Surviving Keith are his loving wife, Bonnie of Litchfield; children, Mark (and Karen) Nelson of Hettinger, ND; Kay Nelson and husband Steve Cook of Hutchinson; Dean (and Martha) Nelson of Hanover; MN, Joleen Nelson of Glencoe; and Romona Nelson of Litchfield; six grandchildren: Kirk (and Holly) Nelson, Kara Cook, Nathaniel Cook, Nolan Cook, Annika Nelson and Ingrid Nelson. He is also survived by a brother-in-law, Clifford Spencer, and sister-in-law Enid (and Curtis) Meyer. He was preceded in death by his parents; infant son, David; brother, Vernon; sister, Geraldine; and step-father, George Homme.