September 13, 1926 – March 14, 2025
Charles (Charlie) William Nelson was born September 13, 1926 in his Auntie Bea’s home in Alton, Illinois. When she first saw him, she said: “He’s not a pretty baby, but he’s a good baby.”
He went peacefully home to heaven on March 14, 2025 at the age of 98 ½. He spent the last months of his life joyfully living with his son Ed and daughter-in-law Debbie Jean in Dewey, Arizona.
Charlie attended a one-room schoolhouse, graduated from Jersey County High School and then joined the U.S. Navy. He was a WWIl veteran, having served as a Sea Bee on the island of Guam. After the Navy, he was never interested in taking a cruise.
Returning home, Charlie hit the highways and byways following the wheat harvest in Kansas with his brother. He got a job hauling cars out of Hazelwood, Missouri. He loved to drive, especially out West. In the thirteen years that he worked for Associated Transport he earned a “million mile pin.”
Charlie married the love of his life, Lucy A. Stafford, in August of 1949. He and Lucy worked together, incorporating Pioneer Construction Company and building many homes in Illinois.
Charlie and Lucy raised their seven children, moving numerous times between the two towns of Alton and Godfrey. Lucy would hardly get the boxes unpacked (or not) when someone would want to buy her new house!
In 1974, they moved to Moab, where they purchased King’s Bottom Ranch and the “Egg Ranch.” Lucy’s “Strictly Fresh Eggs” were sold to all the restaurants and grocery stores in Moab.
In 1977, the couple started Western Home Sales. For the next 11 years, they worked together selling
new and used mobile homes. Side by side, they owned and operated several mobile home parks and developed the Kane Springs Campground.
He will be sadly missed by his children, Connie (Craig) Heath of Fallon, Nevada; Brenda Nelson of Moab, Utah; Debbie D. Nelson of Salt Lake City, Utah; Ed (Debbie Jean) Nelson of Dewey, Arizona; Anne (Larry) Walden of Moab, Utah; Ruth (Mike) Boersma of Clayton, Indiana; and Mary K. (Kevin) Conrad of Fruita, Colorado; as well as numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Clara and Arthur Nelson; his wife, Lucy; his son, Jim (JW); and his siblings, Hazel Stubblefield (Lloyd), Harry Nelson (Doris), Robert Nelson (Dorothy), and Katie Chronister.
Per his request, there will not be a funeral. A celebration of his life for family and friends will be held at a later date.
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