Robert Nelson

Funeral service for Robert Lee Nelson will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, July 10, 2015 at the Sanctuary Christian Worship Center, Chelsea, OK. Pastor Garry Wilson will officiate. Burial will follow at the Chelsea Cemetery, under the direction of the Chelsea Funeral Home & Crematory. Visitation will be held at the funeral home Thurs. 1-8 p.m., and family will greet friends 6-8 .m.

Robert passed away on Tuesday, July 7, 2015 at the age of 73.
The son of Lewey Jr. and Lola Ivon Wilson Nelson was born January 31, 1942 in Chelsea, Oklahoma. Robert grew up in the Chelsea community and attended Chelsea Schools. Robert began working at a local gas station and then for his Grandfather Sam Wilson, at the Chelsea Feed Mill. Each summer Robert, along with family and friends, would attend the Bristow Camp Meeting which is where in 1960 he met the love of his life, Zella Brewer. They began dating, and married July 3, 1961. They made their home in Chelsea with the exception of the two years they lived in Tulsa soon after marriage and one additional year they lived in Jenks in the early 1970’s. Robert’s vocations all related to machinery, heavy equipment or trucks. He worked for the Happy Steel Plant, Peabody Coal Company, and various other employers throughout the years as well. Robert was an entrepreneur and owned several businesses throughout his lifetime. He owned Robert Nelson Trucking, Nelson Mobile Home Sales, Nelson Trailer Park, Robert Nelson Excavation, Okie Sand Plant, Chelsea Auto Parts, Christina’s Flowers and several other business ventures. Robert’s business partner was his wife, Zella, who often oversaw day to day business operations and owned and operated the Chelsea Flower Shoppe.

Robert also had many hobbies and pastimes. Flying was one of his favorites. He had earned his single engine land pilots license, and owned several different airplanes over the years. Family trips for the Nelson family typically involved flying to visit relatives in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama. Robert shared his love of aviation with the community and took countless friends and family members for plane rides over the years. Robert partnered with other local aviation enthusiasts to host an airshow in Chelsea during the late 1970’s during which the Space Shuttle fly over was the highlight of the day. He also loved C.B. and HAM Radio. His C.B. handle was “SkyKing” and was heard throughout the country broadcast from his base station in Chelsea, OK and from his semi-truck as he moved oversized freight that many other drivers couldn’t maneuver. Another favorite past time was wagon drives where he enjoyed week long adventures with family and friends where he would cook his famous fried potatoes in camp nightly.

Serving his community was a passion for Robert. He served on the Chelsea School Board, assisted in starting the Chelsea Band Boosters, was a pilot and spotter in the Civil Air Patrol, provided construction support for The House of Prayer, participated in the Chelsea sidewalk project, supported local and state policy leaders and served as weather spotter for KOTV. Robert and his family were one of the first host families for the American Field Service foreign exchange program, which is when Teija joined the Nelson family. Robert had a gift for thinking outside the box and the ability to bring a different perspective to any project he encountered. He was an informal teacher and taught so many so much. Robert was known to many as a guy willing to help. He was ok with not being in the spotlight. In fact, her preferred to be the helper behind the scenes. Helping the community in which he was raised was always toward the top of his list.

During the last few years Robert has enjoyed the company of Marie Laymon. He and Marie enjoyed visiting flea markets, jam sessions and hosting weekly Saturday night barn dances for all their friends and family. Robert could be found behind the sound board or on the dance floor as he and Marie always made certain their guests enjoyed the evening.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Lewey Jr. and Lola Ivon Wilson and brother, Kenneth Wayne Nelson, Zella Brewer Nelson his wife of 48 years, brothers-in-law Cecil Brewer, Charlie Brewer, Merlin Dunam, Frank Bowen, and sisters-in-law Catherine Dunam and Bettye Jane Brewer.
Survivors include daughters, Kathy Lins and husband Anthony of Vinita, Connie Obenrader and husband John of Chelsea and Teija Mikkila of Helsinki, Finland; grandchildren, Ryan Theys and wife Tiffany, Cody W. McPherson, Raegen Gibson and husband Matthew, Alex Kelly, Amber Hockman, and Gabe and Sara Obenrader; great-grandchildren, Bailey, and Blaine Long, Jenna, Kylei and Alexander Obenrader and Clem McPhearson ; brother, Johnny Nelson and wife Jackie of Claremore, sister, Gurlee Bowen of Tulsa and sister-in-law, Liz Nicholas and husband Chris of Chelsea.