Jimmie Ralph Nelson

Jimmie Ralph Nelson was born in Paris, Arkansas on June 19, 1935 to Arthur Lee Nelson and Selma Jackman Nelson. He passed from this world on January, 28, 2025. Ralph was born to a heritage of poor but hard working Southern people during the time of the Great Depression. His family were laborers who moved frequently looking for work and he attended six different grade schools before entering the 5th grade in Dragerton, Utah in 1945, where they finally settled to work in the coal mines. Ralph was always a good student, involved in school activities and he received several awards and recognitions at Carbon High School where he graduated in 1953. He entered the University of Utah the same year and graduated from the institution in 1960. While at the University he was active in campus activities and was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. He served in the U.S. Army for two years in an elite Redstone Missile Battalion stationed in Bavaria, Germany. Ralph married Hazel Pierce on June 11, 1960 in Elko, Nevada. One months following his graduation from the University he went to work for General Motors Acceptance Corporation and was to work there for over 30 years until his retirement in 1991. While with GMAC he received numerous promotions and was the Regional Executive for the New York Region at the time of this retirement. During the years with GMAC Ralph and Hazel enjoyed an interesting life with transfers to many cities in the U.S.A. and three wonderful years in Brussels, Belgium. During Ralph's lifetime he lived in 13 different U.S. states and three European counties. 

He was preceded in death by wife Hazel on January 24, 2009 and also by his sister Betty McKinney in 2016. Ralph is survived by his two sons, Wade of Castle Rock, Colorado and Andrew (Catherine) of Alexandria, Virginia.  Also survived by his granddaughter, Olivia in the Castle Rock, Colorado area.

Ralph has requested that no formal funeral services, memorial service or viewing be conducted. He will be interred in the South Jordan Memorial Park Cemetery.