Raymond Eugene Nelson, 67 of Le Mars, Iowa went to be with his Lord on Saturday, December 10, 2022. Services will be held 5pm Thursday, December 15, 2022, at the Waterbury Funeral Service of Sioux City, 4125 Orleans Ave. Visitation will be held from 3pm until the service. A dinner will be held right after the service.

He was born on March 10, 1955, in Sioux City, Iowa the son of Nick and Margaret (Fowler) Nelson.  Ray was the baby and the last of the Nelson clan. He loved the Lord with all his heart and couldn’t wait to see him. Ray always said he was a sinner, but the Lord loved him and forgave him anyway. He attended Sunnybrook Church and was baptized there.

Ray was the life of the party; he’d do anything to get a laugh.  He was a stranger to no one and a friend to all. He was an avid drummer and loved him some good old construction work. Family meant the world to him, his wife, children and grandchildren. He probably loved his dogs and grand dogs more than his humans!

He loved telling everyone about Jesus; daily trips to Hy-Vee, the gas station or a lumber yard to be with others and to love them by spreading his infectious joy in the Lord. He carried a case of Salvation books to share with people he met.

Ray left behind his wife of 44 years Teresa (Abramo) Nelson, five children; Jason (Maggie) Davis, Nick (Erica) Nelson, Toni (Kerry) Barrett, Brooke Swanson and Brittany (Jason) Sisk, eight grandchildren, Katy and Kamron Bergenske, Maddie Swanson, Elliott and Theo Davis, Quinn and Jase Sisk and Isabel Nelson, his extended family; mother and father-in-law (Nan and Pops) Dan and Judy King, in-laws Elmer Reed, Cheryl (Mike) Wells, Debbie (Dick) Snipes and Mark (Terri) Abramo, which he adored and, 75 nieces and nephews.

Ray is preceded in death by his parents, Nick and Margaret Nelson, his brothers, Duane, Bob and Eddie, sisters Dorothy Gilbert and JoAnn Reed, father-in-law Tony Abramo and Grandma Dorothy Lane.