Dwight O. Nelson

Dwight O. Nelson, 80, of St. Joseph, went to meet his Lord & Savior on Wednesday, January 22, 2003 at Lakeland Hospital-St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 10:00 A.M. Saturday at the First Church of God, 2627 Niles Ave., St. Joseph, with Rev. Robert Confer officiating. Burial will follow at Hickory Bluff Cemetery with graveside military rites conducted by Coloma American Legion #362, Hartford American Legion #93, VFW Post 1137 of Benton Harbor, & VFW Post 6803 of Watervliet. Friends may call from 7-9 P.M. Friday at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph; and from 9-10 A.M. Saturday at the Church. Memorials may be made to the First Church of God. Friends wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book on line may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Dwight was born on July 24, 1922 in Chicago, IL to John & Alida (Lindgren) Nelson. He served his country in the US Navy during WWII and was discharged on November 7, 1945 as a Motor Machinist?s Second Class. On February 2, 1945 he married the former Georgia Pace in Roseland, IL. Dwight was employed by Illinois Bell for 35 years before retiring in 1983. In 1988 Dwight & Georgia moved to St. Joseph from Dolton, IL. Dwight was a member of the First Church of God. Mr. Nelson is survived by his wife Georgia; four daughters-Sherryl (James) Thornton of Crete, IL; Janet (John) Vinke of S. Holland, IL; Jean (George) Molton of Orland Park, IL; Lisa (James) Lundin of Sawyer, MI; two sons-Dwight (Betty) Nelson, Jr. of Riverside, IL; Lance Nelson of Grant Park, IL; ten grandchildren-Benjamin (Karen) Nelson, Amy (Scott) Gilliam, Mark (Kim) Lundin, Annalise Nelson, Andy (Elise) Thornton, Kelly (Mike) VanHook, Scott (Carmen) Lundin, Dan Thornton, John Vinke, Jeffrey Vinke; three great-grandchildren-Drew Lundin, Hannah Lundin, Marah VanHook; and two sisters-Burdette Anderson & Mildred Johnson both of LaPorte, IN. Dwight was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers & one sister.