James (Jim) Nelson, age 71, passed away on March 10, 2022, surrounded by his family, in Houston Methodist Hospital in Houston TX, after the recent onset and rapid progression of a rare ALS variant.

James Lynn Nelson was born on June 14, 1950, to Lawrence & Rita (McGlynn) Nelson on the farm homesteaded by his great-grandfather, Thomas McGlynn, in Parker Township, Marshall County, Minnesota.  He was baptized at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Oslo MN and confirmed at St. Joseph's Red River Catholic Mission, Stephen MN.

Jim was descended from some of Stephen's earliest pioneers:

He was the great grandson of Pierce Sinnott who came to Stephen in 1878 from Ireland and settled in what is now Sinnott Township, named after him and his wife, Catherine Hughes Sinnott.

He was the great-great-grandson of John Hughes, who helped establish Tamarac Township, organized the first school district in Marshall County (in 1878) and served on its school board, was appointed the first postmaster in 1879, opened the first business (a drug store) in Stephen, was a justice of the peace for 20 years, and whose home was the early meeting place for what would later become St. Stephen's Catholic Church.

He was the great-grand nephew of Mary Ann Hughes, Marshall County's first school teacher (1878).

Jim attended Stephen Public School, graduating as co-valedictorian in 1968.  He went on to graduate from the University of North Dakota in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering.  He was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon social fraternity.

Jim was nominated by UND and accepted for inclusion in the 1972-73 edition of Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.  On January 25, 1973, Jim was initiated into the Blue Key National Honor Fraternity at UND.  He was also a member of Arnold Air Society and a Distinguished Military Graduate.

Upon graduation from UND in 1973, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the United States Air Force.  Following his discharge from the Air Force, his engineering career included work at Fisher Controls, Honeywell, and Hewlett-Packard.  He retired from Hewlett-Packard in 1999.

He married Cheryl Ness in 1972.  They had two sons, Ryan and Lance.  In 1989 he married Bonnie Morinaga and to this union was born their son Jake.  Jim was devoted to his sons and inspired all three of them to follow in his footsteps as engineers.

His family and friends will remember him as a good man: strong-willed, humble, quiet and kind who always tried to help others.  His mind was always in finance mode and always "engineering," so the help he gave family and friends who came to him for assistance and advice was usually excellent.  His favorite activities included playing bridge, pinochle, sudoku, sports, movies, and music.

Jim was a member of Christ the Good Shepherd Catholic Church and his local bridge club.

Jim is survived by his wife Bonnie of Spring TX, and his three sons: Ryan of Gilbert AZ, Lance of Carrollton TX, and Jake of Richmond VA; mother, Rita Nelson of Stephen MN; sister and brothers:  Diane Nelson, Allan & Mary (Rasmussen) Nelson and Daryl & Cathy (Carl) Nelson all of Fort Collins CO; Ron & Carol (Ruebsamen) Nelson of Pace FL; and Roger & Georgie (Scheving) Nelson and Leslie Nelson of Stephen. He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles, and dear friends.  Jim was preceded in death by his father in 1967.

A Celebration of Life will be held later this year; interment with Military Honors in a National Cemetery.

Arrangements by Graceful Memorial Chapel, Houston TX.