Darrel Nelson, 85, of Arvada, Colorado, died Thursday, April 12, 2018 at Wheat Ridge, Colorado.

Memorial services were held Saturday, April 28th at 4 p.m. at Peace Lutheran Church of Arvada, Colorad. Pastor Tim Lindeman was the officiant. His final resting place is in Olinger Highland Cemetery at Thornton, Colorado.

Darrel Nelson was born on August 29, 1932, in Bertrand, Nebraska, to Esther and Hershel Nelson. He graduated from Bertrand High School in 1950, then attended Luther College in Wahoo, Nebraska for 2 years before joining the US Navy in 1952, where he served for four years. He came home in 1956 and met his first wife, Nyla Lamb, and they were married on June 9, 1957. They moved to Colorado for a job Darrel had been offered working for the Gates Rubber Company where he worked for 38 years, retiring in March of 1995. Together, they had two children. Glenn Nelson born in 1960 and Carmen Nelson born in 1962. Nyla passed away in July of 2000 and a few years later, he met Mary Hood through Peace Lutheran Church and made her his wife on April 19, 2008. They traveled extensively in their short 10 years and created many memories together.

Darrel was preceded in death by his son, Glenn, who had lived in San Diego, California for 30 years, but died suddenly in December of 2016. Darrel is survived by his wife, Mary; his daughter, Carmen, stepchildren Mick and Diana Hood, Randy and Cathy Marshall and several step-grandchildren/great grandchildren; his sister, Jean Smith of Arvada, Colorado and numerous nieces, nephews and their spouses.