Nelson was born August 20, 1927, in Marquette, Kansas. He married Marguerite Fitch on May 21, 1951.
Nelson earned a Bachelor of Science degree at Kansas State University in 1950. He received his Master of Divinity degree from North Park Theological Seminary in 1957 and a Master of Arts degree in pastoral psychology from Garrett Theological Seminary in 1961.
He served as interim pastor at Countryside Covenant Church in Glenview, Illinois, from 1954-1955 and associate pastor at Trinity Covenant Church in Chicago, Illinois, from 1955-1958.
Nelson subsequently served as chaplain and supervisor of Clinical Pastoral Education at Swedish Covenant Hospital in Chicago from 1958 to 1979. He established the pastoral care program at University Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona, in 1979 and served at the hospital until he retired in 1992. Nelson was widely recognized for his work as a chaplain and was president of the College of Chaplains from 1969-1970.
Survivors include Marguerite and seven children.
