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In memory of
Perry Lee Nelson
October 2, 1942 - February 8, 2020
Oct 2, 1942 - Feb 8, 2020
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Perry's obituary
Perry Lee Nelson, 77, of Colorado City, Colorado, passed away on February 8th, 2020 in Sangre De Cristo Hospice & Palliative Care, Pueblo, Colorado after a courageous battle with cancer.
Perry was born in Albert Lea, Freeborn County Minnesota to Vernon Cornelius Nelson and Margie Ordella Peterson in 1942. Perry grew up in New Richland, Waseca County, Minnesota, and attended public school there. After graduating from high school Perry attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa for two years. He transferred to Arizona State University in the summer of 1962 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in microbiology and biochemistry in 1965. He attended graduate school at ASU until receiving his draft notice. He then was hired as a chemistry technician by the Unidynamics Company in Goodyear, Arizona, which had defense contracts with Edgewood Arsenal in Fort Detrick, Maryland, that involved classified biological and chemical war projects. For this work, the draft board issued him a critical industry deferment. Perry was not comfortable with this kind of work, and after a year found a job in aerospace as a microbiologist in the Space Biology Lab at Martin Marietta in Denver, Colorado. There he worked on spacecraft sterilization for Voyager, the first Mars lander. In June of 1968 Perry moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where as a microbiologist at McDonnell-Douglas assigned to a project called Apollo Applications, he was able to help examine and evaluate rocks from the moon.
Perry married Rosemary Heselton in 1968 in Faribault, Minnesota. The couple relocated to Phoenix in 1970. Perry began working as a chemist/microbiologist on soil conditioning, and became a representative involving guar bean production with a Texas division of Celanese Corporation. Perry and a partner, Ben Olson, handled the production of some 20,000 acres of guar beans, and started growing some of the first commercial acreages of seedless watermelons in Arizona.
Perry was an avid photographer, bicyclist, chef, poet, and novelist. In 2011 his novel The Incessant Voice of War: The Black Rose Conspiracies was published. In 2019, he published Emeralds and Ashes, a poetic World War II discourse, and Poetry as Imagery, a book of poetry and photography. Perry was against war and violence and saw beauty and humor in ordinary life situations. A wonderful storyteller, and protector of nature and wildlife, Perry enjoyed travel and camping, especially in Arizona, Hawaii, and Colorado. Perry was a kind and loving person and even as his health deteriorated he kept his mind active in online communication with friends and relatives. Once Perry made friends, he kept those friends close and had many special relationships.
Perry was preceded in death by his parents, Vernon and Margie Nelson, a brother, Kenneth Earl Nelson, and Rosemary Heselton Nelson, his wife.
Perry is survived by Debbie Smith, his loving companion since 1998, daughters Sarah Elizabeth Nelson Hansen of Phoenix, AZ and Kristin (Jesus) Damian of Houston TX, sister Nancy Ann Nelson Simmonson, grandson Skylar of Phoenix, AZ, many beloved nieces and nephews, cousins, in-laws, and friends.
Memorials may be given to The Defenders of Wildlife, and The American Cancer Society. The Science Care association has accepted the donation of Perry’s remains to scientific research. A celebration of life will be held later in the spring.
The family of Perry wishes to extend our sincere thanks to Dr. Neil Banga, Dr. Travis Archuletta and the staff of Rocky Mountain Cancer Center, the doctors and nurses of Parkview Hospital, and the staff of the Sangre De Cristo Hospice & Palliative Care, Pueblo, Colorado.
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Memories & condolences
Dear Debbie,
Bill and I were thinking about you and Perry and I decided to see if I could find you. I found the obit qui…
Dear Debbie,
Bill and I were thinking about you and Perry and I decided to see if I could find you. …
Dear Debbie,
Bill and I were thinking about you and Perry and I d…
Debbie, we wish you peace in this very difficult time. Difficult to find the words to express our love for you.
Debbie, we wish you peace in this very difficult time. Difficult to find the words to express our…
Debbie, we wish you peace in this very difficult time. Difficu…
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