Richard John Aylward Nelson passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Wednesday, February 1, 2017, at the age of 89 years. Beloved husband of Lorraine Nelson of Medicine Hat, he also leaves to cherish his memory his children, Laurie Ann (Tom) Sutherland of Warman, Saskatchewan, David (Darlene) Nelson and Naomi Brandt , both of Medicine Hat, and his son-in-law, Doyle Brandt also of Medicine Hat; six grandchildren, Amy Sutherland, Ashley Sutherland (John McCann), Jesse Nelson, Pam (Taso) Mikos, Jeremy Brandt (Yai Senarit), and Kim Brandt; three great grandchildren, Aubrey Brandt, Xavier Brandt-Plantinga, and Katie Mikos; two sisters, Dorothy Ross of Red Deer and Muriel McGregor of Sundre; one brother-in-law, Sonny (Joy) Anderson of Maple Creek, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, Richard and Lila Nelson; two nieces Jennifer Anderson and Irene McGregor; great nephews, Darwin Ross and Stephen Ross, and great great nephew, Robert Braden Ross. Richard was born in Didsbury, Alberta on June 14, 1927, and grew up on a farm near Harmattan with his older sister, Dorothy, and younger sister, Muriel. From a young age, Richard took on many of the tasks of farming; from the age of nine he drove a team of horses to mow hay and seed, and by 12 years old he graduated to running a tractor and milking cows. In 1946, Richard bought his very first tractor, working for months to pay it off, which he used to break the land that he went on to farm. Richard and his father built a sawmill in 1949 and went on to start a lumber business, using Percheron horses to haul timber out of the woods. It was one fateful load of lumber that Richard delivered to Robsart, Saskatchewan in 1956 that brought he and his soon-to-be wife, Lorraine, together. A year later, on July 19, 1957, Lorraine and Richard were married and moved to Robsart where Richard drove the school bus and Lorraine taught at the local school. In the spring of 1958, Richard bought his first quarter of land and their first daughter, Laurie Ann, was born followed by their son David in 1959. In 1964, Richard purchased land northeast of Consul and in 1966, their second daughter, Naomi, was born. The next year, Richard built a house on the property where they spent many joyous years farming until they retired and moved to Medicine Hat in 1983. During their years on the farm near Consul, Richard was elected to the Eastend Board of Education for over a decade and served as Chairman of the Board for many of those years. He received his pilot’s licence in 1976 and loved flying his Cessna 182 as well as crop spraying for many years with his Pawnee.
The funeral service will be held in the Seventh Day Adventist Church (1933 Dunmore Road SE) on Tuesday, February 7, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Howard Homenchuk and Pastor Tyler Rosengren officiating. A private family interment will follow in the Hillside Cemetery. To e-mail an expression of sympathy, please direct it to: pattfh@telusplanet.net subject heading: Richard Nelson, or you may visit www.pattisonfuneralhome.com and leave a message of condolence.

• Date : 2017-02-01
• Location : Medicine Hat

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