Nefton "Nip" Victor Nelson was born on July 4, 1921, in Swede Prairie Township, Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota, to parents Oscar N. and Emma (Sather) Nelson. Nip claims Swedish and Norwegian heritage. Nip was third of four children and lived and worked at farming most of his growing years. World War II found him living and working at aircraft in Inglewood, California, where in 1945 he married his sweetheart, Elaine Gurney, who also worked there and came from New Jersey. To this union, after settling in Clarkfield in 1946, were born three sons: Thomas, Terry and Robert. Nip's main work was in house interior and outdoor painting. He was sometimes a student of Bernhard Kuhlmann, of Boyd, Minnesota, learning the trade. In later years he did maintenance work at the local hospital and then a custodial job at the bank. Nip had many hobbies and talents in art, oil painting, scrimshaw, small clay fired Norwegian figures and Norwegian knives learned from Gene Tokheim. Still later he made some wood duck houses from scrap lumber. Summers would find him, with family, traveling to the lake cabin to spend weekends hunting and fishing. Nip loved, in later retired years, to be at the local cafe with 'round table' coffee gathering friends. He passed away at the Clarkfield Care Center on Thursday, January 24, 2008, at the age of 86 years, 6 months and 20 days. Nip leaves wife Elaine, of Clarkfield, Minnesota; and his children: Thomas (Merry) of Boyd, Minnesota, Terry (Christine) of Bellevue, Nebraska, and Robert (Constance) of Clarkfield, Minnesota. He also leaves grandchildren and great grandchildren; sister, Elaine Allen; sister-in-law Randy (Nelson) Lindquist; along with a host of friends, neighbors, relatives and Augustana Church members. He was preceded in death by his parents Oscar N. Nelson and Emma Nelson; sister, Iona Barkelew; brother-in-law Lyle Barkelew; baby girl Barkelew; and brother Lorren Nelson. Visitation Monday, January 28, 2008 * 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. Clarkfield Care Center, Clarkfield, Minnesota Memorial Service Monday, January 28, 2008 * 11:00 a.m. Clarkfield Care Center, Clarkfield, Minnesota Clergy Officiating, Pastor Steve Weston (Healing Waters Parish) Pianist, Pat Bakkelund Congregational Hymn "Jesus Loves Me, This I Know" Special Music Elsie Carlson, "Until Then" David Rupp, "In the Garden" Honorary Bearers Oscar Stangeland, Jerome "Red" Koenigs Alvern Johnson, Douglas Nelson Jerry Nelson, Curt Torgerson Final Interment Clarkfield City Cemetery Clarkfield, Minnesota (Spring 2008) Arrangements by Lynner Funeral Home Since 1891 Clarkfield Minnesota