Robert Nelson

Robert A. Nelson died peacefully on October 12, 2016. Beloved husband of the late Mildred Nelson (née Stein) for 37 years, beloved companion of Florence Durkin for the past 14 years, he was dear son of the late Paul and Nina Nelson, loving brother of the late Thomas (Christine Garo) Nelson and Dorothy (Daniel) Gryczewski. He was loving father of Sarell (Marc) Hesser, Bryan Stein, Donald (Stephanie) Nelson, and Ellen (Joshua) Markus. He is also survived by nine grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews whom he adored. Bob was born in Roseland, lived much of his adult life in Rogers Park and Morton Grove, then lived his later years in Oak Lawn. He served in the Navy during the Korean Conflict alongside friends he retained for life. He loved trains and as a young man, worked for the Pullman Company. For many years, he was general manager of a small novelties manufacturer. He had a great mechanical mind and once built a sailboat from scratch with his cousin Russ. He also had the hands of an artist and lovingly made wooden wagons for his grandchildren. Bob loved bicycling, White Castle hamburgers, family slideshows, long car trips, and the memory of childhood summers on his uncle's farm in Indiana. He was proud of his Swedish heritage and partial to the cardamom coffeecake at the Swedish Bakery in Andersonville. We'll love him and miss him forever and try to live up to the example he set as a kind, considerate person who put the well-being of the people he loved above his own. Bob's life will be celebrated at a memorial service at 11am on Saturday, October 29, at Schram Memorial Chapel, 1799 Patriot Blvd. in Glenview. Donations may be made in Bob's memory to the University of Chicago Medicine, with checks payable to "University of Chicago Medicine" and sent to: University of Chicago Gift Administration and Business Data, Robert A. Nelson Memorial, 5235 S. Harper Court, 4th Floor, Chicago, IL 60615.