Wilber Nelson

Wilber Fred Nelson, 79, of Thornton died November 19, 2009. He was born on November 28, 1928 in Cheyenne, WY to August and Refreda Nelson. On February 17, 1951 he married Theresa Eileen Napier and together they had seven children. Wayne Nelson and his wife Tracy Michael Nelson and his wife Debra, Theresa Sherlock and her husband William ""Bill"" Sherlock, Fred Nelson and his wife Sandra, Neil Nelson and his wife Julie, Kathy Nelson Bishop and her husband Clyde Bishop, Harold Nelson and his wife Tricia Nelson. He is a grandfather of sixteen, great-grandfather of eighteen, and he has three brothers and one sister. Wilber spent seven years in the Navy, mostly seving on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Boxer as an Aviation Boatswains Mate and was awarded the China Service Medal, The Korean Service Medal, the Navy Occupational Service Medal, the Navy Good Conduct Medal and the United Nations Service Medal. He retired from Coors in 1993 where he worked as a mechanic for 25 years. Wilber loved RV'ing, camping, trucking, fishing and shopping, which he did a lot with his family through the years. He was outgoing and very social and always looked forward to getting together with his family, his friends and his buddies from Coors for Tuesday breakfast. He was very generous with his grandkids and loved to buy them things and take them for rides on the back of his motorized chair. He worked very hard, sometimes two and three jobs, to take care of his family. Most of his kids worked with him on his side jobs and helped him out on hauling jobs. He moved his family from California to Colorado on 1968 where he lived in Longmont, Lakewood and Arvada. He finally settled at the Villas of Sunny Acres where he made lots of friends and put lots of miles on his chair cruising around the complex checking out every little thing and spending lots of time sitting at the lake watching the ducks. He will be greatly missed by all who loved him.