Nils E. Nelson

OREGON / JANESVILLE - Nils E. Nelson, formerly of Janesville (Footville), Wis., passed away on Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020, at BeeHive Memory Care in Oregon, Wis. Nils was born in Spokane, Wash., on May 18, 1933, to Oscar and Marie (Hartman) Nelson. Nils graduated from Stoughton High School in 1951, enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1954, and served his country during the Korean War, stationed in Germany. In 1957, Nils married Nancy Smith. They purchased a farm near Footville where they lived for 57 years before moving to Oregon in 2017. They had two daughters, Lisa Field and Kristen Lee. In addition to the farm, Nils worked for the UW-Madison in the computing center (now DoIT) for 28 years. Nils believed he was put on this earth to work and always had at least one side job or business. Some of those included driving semi for A&H, Inc., feedlot to freezer meat business, a Kent Feed business, and his beloved Dorset sheep flock that started as Kristen’s 4-H project. The sheep gave him years of joy and opened a whole new world of friendships. He enjoyed the social and competitive aspects of showing sheep and in 2015 was inducted into the Wisconsin Sheep Barn Hall of Fame. Nils was a provider, a man of great faith, a jokester, and greatly enjoyed sharing conversation and coffee with friends in Footville and Orfordville, as well as others he made over the years. Nils was devoted to his family and made tremendous sacrifices to provide for them. He was a loving husband, proud father of Lisa Field and Kristen, and yet a very humble man who was empathetic and benevolent to those in need. Nils is survived by his wife, Nancy of 63 years; daughter, Kristen (Bob) Johnson; grandson, Harrison Glen; and sisters, Janet Nelson (Tim Reilley) and Helen (Kent) Karberg. Nils is preceded in death by his parents; eldest daughter, Lisa Field Stark; and sister, Margaret Larson. Private services were held at First Presbyterian Church in Oregon on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020, followed by burial at Prairie Mound Cemetery in Oregon. The family is especially grateful for the staff at Stoughton Hospital for years of expert medical support, BeeHive for their loving and compassionate care, and to the Agrace angels who spent their Christmas Eve and Day comforting Nils and the family. In lieu of flowers, memorials be directed to First Presbyterian Church of Oregon or to Agrace HospiceCare of Fitchburg. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com . Gunderson Oregon Funeral & Cremation Care 1150 Park St. (608) 835-3515