Kenneth D. Nelson
ST. LOUIS PARK — Kenneth D. Nelson, age 65, of St. Louis Park, died peacefully at NC Little Hospice on January 4, 2018 from cancer. Ken was born in New Ulm, Minnesota on June 9, 1952 to Virgil and Elaine Nelson. He attended school in Winthrop, Minnesota, graduating in 1970. He attended Mankato State College and received a Bachelor degree in Business Administration and Economics in 1974. He later received a Master’s degree from the University of St. Thomas.
He began his career as a salesperson in the furniture division of Dayton Hudson. He then moved to Bellevue, Ohio, and later to Indianapolis, IN, to take a position as a grain trader with Central Soya. Entrepreneurship beckoned Ken and he joined a friend as a Taco John franchisee. They operated several stores in Indiana and Michigan until 1984 when the stores were sold and he returned to Minnesota. Upon moving back to Minnesota he joined First Bank System (now U.S. Bancorp) in their training program. In his nearly thirty year career at U.S. Bancorp he held various positions including senior vice president of the money center and the funding and derivatives group within the treasury group before being named executive vice president and corporate treasurer in 2008, a position he held until his retirement in 2013.
In 1995 Ken joined the “up north” crowd by purchasing his place on Velvet Beach in Cross Lake, Minnesota. This became a source of great joy to Ken as he spent many weekends there developing lifelong friendships. He enjoyed sharing this special place with family and friends.
Ken had a commitment to hard work, was totally selfless and always showed a positive attitude. He will be remembered for his caring ways and sense of humor and stories.
Ken is survived by sisters Kay (Dale) Olson, Joyce (Gary) Schuette, and Ruth (Jim) Bauer; brother John (Cindy) Nelson; nieces and nephews Stephanie (Dan) Valerius, Megan Bauer, Alex Nelson, Michael (Molly Schugel) Nelson, Dan Olson and Katie Olson; great nieces Hailey and Harper Valerius, and great nephew Arlo Nelson; as well as many relatives and friends. He was predeceased by parents Virgil and Elaine Nelson and infant niece Kristin Joy Olson.
Thank you to the caring staff and volunteers at NC Little Hospice. Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. on January 15, 2018 at Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church, 5025 Knox Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN with visitation one hour prior. Visitation will also be held from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Washburn-McReavy Funeral Home, 5000 West 50th Street, Edina, MN on Sunday, January 14, 2018. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to NC Little Hospice, 7019 Lynmar Lane, Edina, MN 55435 or to the American Cancer Society.
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