Keith L. Nelson

GALVA - Keith L. Nelson, 80, of Galva, died at 4:00 a.m., Monday, April 23, 2018 at the Hillcrest Home in Geneseo.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, April 28 at St. John Catholic Church in Galva. Celebrant will be Fr. John Burns. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the services at the church with recitation of the rosary at 8:45 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in Galva Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to St. John Catholic Church or to Hook & Bullet Conservation Club. Rux Funeral Home in Galva is in charge of arrangements.  

He was born August 25, 1937 in Kewanee, the son of Leroy and Marjorie (Hampton) Nelson. He married Helen Bernitt on February 7, 1959 in Kewanee. Survivors include his wife of Galva, a son, Randall Nelson of Galva, two daughters, Elizabeth (Roger) Cooper of Woodhull and Wendy (Michael) Kernan of Mt. Zion, IL, eight grandchildren, Amanda Coleman of Mt. Pleasant, IA, Anthony Nelson of Denver, CO, Victoria Cooper of Woodhull, Ryan and Elena Kernan, both of Mt. Zion, IL, and Lucas, Cassidy and Levi Nelson, all of Pekin, IL, and a great grandchild, Gabriel. He was preceded in death by his parents and a son, Christopher Nelson.

Keith graduated from Wethersfield High School in 1955. He had worked at Dixline in Galva, for the State of Illinois DOT and had farmed. He was a member of St. John Catholic Church. He was an avid golfer and had won the Mayor’s Trophy for Galva Day in 1962. He had been on the Board of Director’s at Oak Run where he had been president and was also on the Safety Committee. In September of 1992, he had a hole-in-one, a 160-yard shot with a 4 iron. Keith loved all farm animals but especially horses which he had shown and won many trophies with. He had been a member of the Rover Rangers Saddle Club.  He loved spending winters in Florida with his wife and he enjoyed golfing, boating, hunting and playing pitch with his family.

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