Donald “Ned” Lee Nelson
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Graveside Inurnment Services for Donald (Ned) Lee Nelson, 72, Lawrence, KS will be 3:30 pm, Tuesday, March 8, 2022, at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lawrence, KS. Don passed away Saturday, February 26, 2022, at The Arbors at Monterey Village, Lawrence, KS. Don was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s three and one half years ago and moved to The Arbors one and one half years ago. Two months ago, Faith Hospice began visiting him. The care Don received from Faith Hospice and The Arbors was greatly appreciated.
Don was born April 27, 1949, in Lawrence, KS to Homer D. and Goldie L. (Houghton) Nelson. He graduated from Lawrence High School in 1967 and went on to attend the University of Kansas earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts. He was in ROTC and was a member of Acacia Fraternity at KU.
Don’s first job was a lifeguard, but he worked many jobs during his career, including working at KU Recycling Center, White Sewing Center and Stokely Van Camp before he opened his own business, “Flip City,” a pinball arcade. He loved working with his hands, so he worked construction before opening his own remodeling and deck construction business, “Nelson Construction.”
Don enjoyed being outdoors, especially doing activities such as hunting, fishing and gardening. He loved animals and had many pets during his life. He also enjoyed watching the Royals, Chiefs and many KU sports.
Don is survived by his sister-in-law, Dianna Nelson, Lawrence, nephew, Chris Nelson, Lawrence, niece, Donna Binns, Charleston, IL and several cousins.
Don was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Stephen D. Nelson.
Memorial contributions may be made to Lawrence Humane Society and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th St., Lawrence, KS 66044.
I was so sad to hear of the passing of Don. We were fellow classmates going way back. He was always so kind and intelligent. It was a joy being around him. His older brother Steve passed recently, and I knew him too. May the Lord Jesus Christ comfort all who mourn his passing. I am so very sorry.
We were sad to hear of Don’s passing. We were neighbors and friends. His talents and friendship will be missed. We are glad we got to know him. Our deepest condolences to his family.
I was so sorry to hear of Don’s passing .Was my neighbor for many years! He loved cats. Was always coming by to watch a game or just talk about our younger years! He was a good man and will be missed,
Don and I became good friends decades ago when he began doing carpentry work at our home, which he did for us until his retirement. Don was a master carpenter who was also a kind, thoughtful, caring friend. May he rest in peace.
Don liked his neighbors and was concerned about them. He always helped them whenever he could. He was an expert craftsman as he did a lot of work for me and my parents. I recall he went to a building I owned out of town and was to replace a rotting stairway to the basement. The lumberyard owner left the lumber sheds open for me and Don went to the yard and picked out lumber and returned to the bldg and completed the stairway with nothing left. He had cut exactly what was needed. He had a photographic memory.
On a trip that he and another friend went with me to Arizona, the three of us went to open houses and upon the return to Lawrence, Don could describe every detail of construction of those houses.
The best memory was when the three of us stayed in Tucumcari New Mexico.
The motel, The Relax Inn, had $15.99 rooms. Bill got a room, then I and then Don said he would check in but the attendant told him there were no more rooms at that price BUT Room 3 was available if someone could get the door unlocked so Don says I am a carpenter but have no tools with me, I will look. No luck. He gets a room that had been used for the day and needed to be cleaned. No problem.
He was alert at that time and really sharp.
I had bought a lot of airline tickets for Vanguard Airlines and took Don to Las Vegas. He wanted to go to In and Out Burger so we trekked down the strip and got to the freeway and couldn’t figure out how to get across. Went back to the hotel and Don said “we should have taken a cab and gone thru the drive thru”.
I said Don why didn’t you think of that before we walked all morning. We never got the In and Out Burger!
Great memories and when he first went to Monterey Village he could recall much of those fun trips when we talked about them.
At least he did not suffer a long time. He cared about his sister in law, his brother, niece and nephew and was very interested in his family history and cousins and good friend Don Binns.
David Holroyd
QUALITY. Don was Quality: in how he approached his life, his work, his relationships, and thus Don WAS Quality. This thing which will remain rationally undefined, yet we know it when we see it. He was a light in this vast expanse of quickening darkness. A little light goes a long way, and that’s good because there’s precious little of it. Which is why when a light goes out, especially one that burned as bright as Don’s, it’s tragic. Now it has been said, “The death of an old man is not a tragedy”, and this may generally be true, but in Don’s case I reject this hypothesis. Because Quality is so rare AND it’s of such importance to our human experience then how can losing one of Quality not be tragic? Thankfully our memories of Don will continue to remind us of his Quality life lived, and in doing so will once again light that flame, and for a moment or two at least, we can pause from cursing the darkness. (Every time I put on a Frank Zappa album I will smile, and think of him. He introduced me to Zappa’s music. I figured, “if Don is into this, there must be something to it”, ….and guess what? There is! QUALITY.)
We first met in the 70’s and had similar paths in life. I remember going to Flip City and having the red cream soda on tap and playing pinball. Later we both got into carpentry and crossed paths many times. We once had a road trip to Wichita to work at a Bonnie Raitt show and our job was to transport the great opening act, Mose Allison and his band from Wichita back to Lawrence for the next nights gig. I was saddened to see he has passed. Truly a good guy, will be missed
Our deepest sympathies to Don’s family and friends! Our prayers go out to all.
Orville and Jean Bonner
Don was our next door neighbor for many, many years. He was a very kind and
pleasant person. He loved animals. At one time he had dogs but after they
died he got a cat named Sid. After Sid died he got another cat and named him
Sid also. He was very concerned about Sid when he moved to The Arbors at Monterey Village. So one of the neighbors took care of Sid. Our prayers go
out to his relatives and friends.
Don and I were classmates at Lawrence High School. We had several classes together and seating next to each other in most classes. Don was such a nice, easy going fellow, so easy to talk to. Sending condolences to his family.
I met Ned back in 1969 or 70. I worked at the Last Straw ice-cream shop on campus. Ned and I met and bonded over our love for pinball. We spent all our spare time playing the machines at the Rock Chalk Cafe and the Gaslight Tavern ( next door to the ice cream shop where I worked).
We soon became roommates with a mutual friend, Pat, who tended bar at the Rick Chalk and also managed the Last Straw. We shared a huge apartment near campus for sometime.
He was a gifted carpenter, and created a fabulous sunken living room in our basement apartment.
We eventually went our separate ways in our living arrangement, but all 3 of us remained friends and went on to open Flip City near 14th and Mass.. We offered Foosball, pinball,, and pool, chips and sodas.. As I recall, Ned cane up with the name. They got me a 4×8 board and some buckets of paint and I created the sign on the building.
Ned and I played as much pinball as we wanted, and our other business partner, Patrick, was a Foosball master which lead to regular Foosball tournaments at Flip City.
Ned was a super nice, even tempered, good humored man. I regret loosing touch with him but have thought of him often over the years and some of my fondest memories include him and the great times and friendship we shared.
My deepest condolences to his family and the other lives he touched.
Don and I were fraternity brothers in Acacia Fraternity at KU. We had good times together. I regret not having seen him in a long time since then.
My deepest sympathies to Don’s family and friends! My prayers go out to all.