Louis Nelson

ST. JOSEPH – Louis J. "Lou" Nelson, 92, of St. Joseph passed away at 10:10 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 16, 2017) at Meadowbrook, Urbana.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017, at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 802 E. Douglas St., St. Joseph, with the Rev. Seth Jersild officiating. Burial will be in Patterson Cemetery, St. Joseph. Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday at the church. Freese Funeral Home, 302 E. Grand Ave., St. Joseph, is in charge of arrangements.

Lou was born Sept. 26, 1924, at Waterloo, Iowa, the son of Harold Ejner and Frances M. Lowry Nelson. He married Maxine Edith Ulm on Sept. 26, 1946, at Zion Lutheran Church, Jubilee, Iowa. She survives.

Also survived are his children, James D. Nelson of Brookshire, Texas, Deborah L. Nelson of Houston, Texas, Gregory H. Nelson of Littleton, Colo., Rebecca L. (Jeff) Freese of Summerville, S.C., and Susan (Marty) McLain of St. Joseph; 12 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, one grandchild and one great-grandchild.

Lou graduated from Jesup Consolidated School, Jesup, Iowa; Naval Air Technical Training Center, Norman, Okla., aviation machinist mate (A school and B school), FM-2 Wildcats; NATTC, Chicago (C school), aircraft carburetor specialist; Junior Bank Officers School at Ball State University, Muncie, Ind.; and Illinois Bankers School, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

Lou was employed by the U.S. Navy, Norfolk, Va., aviation machinist mate (3c), and Fentress Field, March 1943 to April 1946; and Naval Reserve, October 1949 to October 1953, aviation machinist mate (3c). After the service, he farmed the home farm in Jesup, Iowa. He was also employed by Consumer Finance, April 1950 to January 1971, retiring from Associates Financial Services as supervisor (AVP); State Bank of St. Joseph, starting in 1971, cashier, executive vice president, president-CEO, trust officer, director and board secretary; and St. Joseph Bankcorp (bank holding company), director, president and board secretary until merger with Busey Bank in August 1989, retiring as Busey vice president on Dec. 31, 1989.

Lou's memberships included past member, Waterloo Lodge 105 AF&AM; past member and past master, St. Joseph Lodge 970 AF&AM; present member, Western Star Lodge 240 AF&AM, Champaign, Scottish Rite AASR, Danville (life member), and Ansar Shrine, Springfield; past member, Mohammed Shrine, Peoria; past member, GAO Grotto, Danville; past member, Moose, Des Moines, Iowa; past member, Elks, Sterling, Ill.; past member, Jaycees, Waterloo, Iowa, and Sterling, Ill.; past member and president, St. Joseph Chamber of Commerece; past president, Champaign County Bankers Association; member and past treasurer and council member, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, St. Joseph; member, Experimental Aircraft Association; member, American Legion, St. Joseph; and past member, American Legion, Jessup, Iowa.