Richard “Ike” Nelson

Funeral services will be 11:00 AM Saturday, March 21, 2026 at First United Methodist Church. A visitation will begin one hour prior to the service. Burial will be at 1:30 PM Saturday at North Lawn Cemetery with military rites provided by the United States Honor Guard and the VFW Post 1856. Laufersweiler Funeral Home is serving the family.

Ike was born February 2, 1933, in Fort Dodge to Earl and Sara Nelson of Fort Dodge. Ike was married to Beverly E. Davis in the Methodist Church, Sioux Falls, South Dakota on April 4, 1953, by the Rev. Henry Lewis.

Ike attended schools in Fort Dodge and graduated from Fort Dodge Senior High School. He attended Fort Dodge Junior College. Ike worked for Hormel in sales and production for 26 years. He was plant manager at Mid Country Meats from 1979 to 1981. He was Resource Director for Centel (Frontier Communications) from 1981 until his retirement in 1994. He continued to serve his community by driving bus for First United Methodist and Fort Dodge Schools until 2016.

Ike was a member of the lowa Army National Guard from 1948 to 1985, retiring after 37 years as a Lieutenant Colonel. He attended several military training schools including infantry, artillery, transportation, aviation, and intelligence. As a “Huey” pilot and trainer, he was assigned to Fort Rucker, Alabama, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and Fort Eustis, Virginia. He later joined the 248th Battalion, Boone, and then worked as a G-2 Officer at Camp Dodge, Des Moines.

Ike was always involved in his community. He served on the Fort Dodge City Council and Airport Commission Board. He was a member of Kiwanis, Toast Masters, Elks Lodge, Moose Lodge, I.O.O.F., and Old Fellows. He was also very involved in his church, First United Methodist, volunteering with Sidewalk Sunday School and serving on several boards and commissions.

Ike and Beverly loved to travel. They made it to almost every state in the United States.

Ike is survived by his sons Richard Nelson Il and his wife Kim of Kansas City, MO, Jon Nelson and his wife Julie and their daughter Breanna and her husband Gio of Irvine, CA, and Jasen Nelson and his wife Shelly and their children Abigail and Luke of West Des Moines.

Ike was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Beverly in 2012, parents Earl and Sara, daughter Lynn Marie Nelson, siblings Robert, Gordon, Edward, Jerry, Mardell Bird, and Annabell Utter.

In lieu of plants and flowers, memorials may be left to First United Methodist Church or the Friendship Haven Good Samaritan Fund.