Marv Nelson

Marvin "Marv" Nelson, age 82, of Mankato and formerly of St. Clair, died Sunday, January 3, 2010 at Immanuel St. Joseph's Hospital in Mankato.

Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. Friday at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in St. Clair with Rev. Matthew Grunewald officiating. Burial with military honors will be in St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4-6 p.m. Thursday at Mankato Mortuary and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday. Memorials are preferred to the family or an organization of the donor's choice.

Marvin was born March 9, 1927 in Lanesboro, MN to Miller and Alice (Severson) Nelson. He served in the US Army and was honorably discharged. On November 29, 1947, he was united in marriage to Alpha Johnson in Lanesboro. They made their home and raised their two children in St. Clair.

Marv's love of mechanical repair led to him working at various garages and eventually owning his own repair shop, "Marv's Repair," at his residence in St. Clair. He worked as a heavy equipment mechanic and later became shop foreman at the MN Department of Transportation in Mankato. He retired in 1986. Marv enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, and lawn care. He was a member of the St. Clair American Legion Post 475 and the St. Clair Sportsman's Club. He was a snowmobile safety instructor, raised purebred Golden Retrievers, and was a C.B. radio enthusiast. As an active member of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in St. Clair, Marv was the Church Council President for many years.

Marv is lovingly survived by his wife of 62 years, Alpha Nelson of Mankato; two children, DeLayne (Penny Schwantes) Nelson of Mankato, Curt (Kristi) Nelson of Burnsville; granddaughter, Stacy (Joe Herz) Nelson of Mankato; cousin, Tom (Nancy) Severson of Winona; and many special friends, including former MN DOT Employees.