Clyde Ford Nelson

Clyde Ford Nelson, age 91, died August 10, 2021, in Bountiful, Utah, and will be greatly missed by his family and friends. He was born March 15, 1930, in Bountiful, Utah, to Harold Clyde Nelson and Elna Eliza Ford.

He grew up in Woods Cross/South Bountiful, Utah, and graduated from Davis High School where he was center fielder on the baseball team.  He continued his love of sports throughout his life and attended many of his children’s and grandchildren’s athletic games and often also spent many enjoyable days fishing with family and friends.

He was a member of the Utah Air National Guard and was activated and served at Cannon Air Force Base near Clovis, New Mexico, during the Korean conflict.  After returning home, he was employed by a Salt Lake wholesale firm and assisted his brothers, Ford and Evan, on their farms in Vale, Oregon.

He later met and then married his loving wife, Beverly, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple on January 7,1955, and became father to Beverly’s two children, Brad and Pamela.  Their son, Kenneth, was later born to them in SLC, Utah. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Bountiful, Utah, LDS Temple on August 9, 1996.

Clyde was employed by Standard Oil Company of California and helped manage their North Salt Lake refinery for several years and was later employed as an insurance agent by State Farm Insurance Company for 33 years.  He helped pioneer State Farm’s microfiche records system and periodically was recognized by State Farm as one of their annual million-dollar life insurance producers.  Clyde also earned his professional designation as a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) while employed by State Farm.

He and his family experienced wonderful vacation trips together to visit his brothers and family in Oregon, multiple trips to Disneyland, visited the Seattle World’s Fair, and enjoyed many delightful family trips to Hawaii.

He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and held many positions, including ward clerk and served as an ordinance shift supervisor in the Bountiful LDS Temple for many years.  He was also a dedicated genealogical researcher and prepared thousands of names for temple ordinances.

He was a gifted carpenter and electrician while building 3 homes in which he and his family lived and 2 State Farm office buildings that he occupied.  He also assisted in the construction of two homes for his sons Brad and Ken in Bountiful.

Clyde left an extensive record of service, which he rendered to his family, friends, and others, which is his lasting emblematic legacy.  He helped many family members through his service and financially assisted them in many instances.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen Beverly Blanchard, his parents, brothers Evan and Ford, and sister, Della Hamson.   He is survived by son, Brad W. Thornley (Myra) SLC, Utah, daughter Pamela T. Lundquist (Bob), Moorpark, CA, and Kenneth C. Nelson (Janet), Bountiful, Utah, grandchildren Connor C. Nelson, and Rachel F. Nelson, and younger sister Ruth Ann Dart (James) South Jordan, Utah.

A graveside service will honor Clyde on Tuesday, August 17, 2021, at 12 noon at the Bountiful Memorial Park Cemetery, 2224 S. 200 W.  Services provided by Russon Mortuary & Crematory, Bountiful, Utah.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The family would like to acknowledge and express their heartfelt appreciation and thanks to the incredible organizations and individuals that provided loving care, compassion and companionship to our father during the last year of his life.

SPECIAL THANKS TO

Creekside Senior Living – for providing excellent care and giving us the priceless gift of knowing that our father was receiving the very best care possible in a beautiful, warm, friendly environment. We are extremely grateful to all of the professionals at Creekside, with a very special thanks to Lejla for the loving care she provided to our father during the last 6 months of his life. We are forever grateful.

Les Nelson (our cousin) – for the remarkable support he provided to our father and family over the past year. We want to express our love and gratitude to him for his friendship and for the many hours of quality time he spent with our Dad. They shared a special bond and over the years spent a lot of time together fishing, camping and working on genealogy. For the past year, Les visited Dad several days a week and talked with him about his life and memories. Les turned those conversations into a book documenting Dad’s life story. We are so blessed to have this special remembrance and lasting tribute to our father’s enduring legacy. There are simply no words to adequately thank Les for all he’s done for our family.

A Plus Hospice Care – for their compassionate care during the last days of our father’s life.

Visiting Angels – for their care and companionship over several months.

Dr. Reid B. Hales, (our father’s physician) – for providing many years of excellent health care and for his guidance to us as we were making a number of very difficult decisions.

Russon Mortuary – for the staff’s professional advice and assistance as we planned today’s memorial service.

In lieu of flowers you may donate to the Temple Fund or General Missionary Fund of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.