In Loving Memory of Darren Boyd Nelson
Husband, Father of five, and Friend to Many
Darren’s big heart, charisma, and generous nature will never be forgotten. His sense of humor and spark for life lit up every room. He loved his family deeply and blessed our lives with so many priceless memories. He was always concerned for the little guy and went out of his way to make people feel loved. We love you, Dad.
Darren Boyd Nelson was born to Pat and David Nelson on September 28th, 1965, in Portland, Oregon. There he spent his early childhood growing up along with his 3 siblings: Jennifer, Eric, and Ryan. He enjoyed playing baseball with his brother Eric and was a talented basketball player. His first job as a paper route boy instilled a strong work ethic in him early on. Darren’s boss loved and valued him as one of his very best route boys.
Darren was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by his father in 1973 and was confirmed by his grandfather, Boyd Belliston, of which he bears his middle name. He participated in boy scouts and the young men’s program.
As a young teenager, the family moved to Sandy, Utah. While it was a difficult change for him, Darren excelled in his trademark skill of making friends everywhere he went. He attended Alta High School from 1979 - 1983 where he made many lifelong friends that he kept in contact with until the end of his life. Darren cherished his memories of working at Me & Willy's Pizza with his high school buddies and driving around in his parents old VW Bug.
Between 1983 - 1985 he served a mission for the church in London, England where he strived to teach the people there the gospel. Working through many struggles, Darren built a strong foundation of the love of the Savior. Throughout his life, Darren loved God and had a strong testimony of Jesus Christ. He was known to be an honest seeker of truth.
In his first marriage, Darren welcomed his oldest daughter Brooke in 1989. Later, he met his lifelong companion, Allison, while working together at the Lion House. They married on August 22, 1991, in the Manti Utah Temple and together had Zachary, Jacob, Ashley, and Michael. They raised their 5 kids in Kaysville, Utah.
Darren graduated from LDS Business College with an associate’s degree in accounting and continued his education at Weber State. He was an excellent salesman with a knack for business and building close relationships. His career began working at his brother-in-law's company, Claredi, selling medical solutions software. Later, he worked in foreign exchange and banking sales, where he saw incredible success, at GPS Capital Markets with his dear friends Brandon and Ryan. He was bold and fearless under pressure and could close even the largest business deals.
One of Darren’s favorite things in life was driving around in his torch red Corvette and talking cars with everyone. He lived for drives up the canyon or going on road trips and sharing those experiences with others. Darren felt very blessed in life and constantly looked for ways to shower those blessings upon others. He loved sharing what he had and gave many generous gifts of time and money throughout his life.
He enjoyed spending quality time with his kids and family. Always planning fun vacations, doing yard work with Allison and his sons, jumping in the pool, and holding his grandkids close. He knew how to make the best banana milkshakes, was famous for pulling sleds behind the van on snow days, hosting pizza Fridays, making homemade Nelson ice cream, and of course, licking the spoon. We love you Darren and will miss you dearly until we are reunited again.
Darren is survived by his sweetheart, Allison; children: Brooke, Zachary (Shanae), Jacob, Ashley (Tyler), and Michael; his father, David; siblings: Jennifer (Rex), Eric, Ryan (Brianne); and eight grandchildren: McEwan, Scarlet, Violet, Emery, Emma, Maycee, Sadie, and Rowan. He is preceded in death by his mother, Patricia.
A celebration of life will be held for family and friends on Darren’s 60th birthday, September 28, 2025. More details will be shared with loved ones in the coming weeks.
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