John ‘Pat’ Russell Nelson

John was born December 20, 1926 in Detroit, Michigan to Axel and Myrtle (nee’ Thomas) Nelson of Negaunee. After John’s mother died at age 8, he and his older brother, Tom, spent the summers with their grandparents, Ida and Steve Thomas. Time was divided between their home in Negaunee and at Grandma’s Camp at Big Shag Lake.

In April 1945 John quit high school and joined the army to help with the war effort. He went on to become a military police officer guarding General Hideki Tojo and the 27 other defendants at the International Military Tribunal for the Far East in Tokyo, Japan. Following an honorable discharge, John completed his GED and went on to study geology at Michigan State University.

On May 14th 1949 , John married the love of his life, Morfula (Mary) Kanellos and began working in the family business; Kanellos Shoes and Repairing. Throughout the years John’s love of camp never wavered. Each summer he would rent a camp for 2 weeks from his Aunt Lil and Uncle Haze. John shared his love of the Upper Peninsula and camp with his wife and children. In 1974, John had his own camp built on Big Shag Lake.

John retired and sold his business in 1996 and spent the next 15 years as a volunteer at Bi-County Hospital in Warren, Michigan, but always spent his summers at camp. John loved gardening and the neighbors always looked forward to his abundant harvest of tomatoes. John was active in his church and served as president of the board. John was loved by many for his kind, considerate nature. He was always the first to lend a helping hand. John loved spending time with his family and grandchildren and they with him. He was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and friend. He will be greatly missed.

Surviving is his wife of 68 years, Morfula; sons. Thomas (Deborah) Nelson of Troy and Robert (Teresa) Nelson of Houghton; daughter Suzanne (Russell) Hamilton of Eastpointe; grandchildren, Steven (Rachel) Nelson of Portland, Oregon, Robert Nelson of Detroit, John (Krista) Nelson of Hancock, Brian Nelson of Hancock, Laura Nelson of Oakland Township, Russell Hamilton of Roseville and Elena (Travis) Sperow of Davisburg; five great grandchildren, a brother, Thomas Nelson, of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, three nephews, three nieces; several great nephews, great nieces and cousins.

John was preceded in death by his parents; 2 nephews and several aunts, uncles and cousins.