Harry Foster Nelson

Harry Foster Nelson, 90, of Atlantic, North Carolina, passed away peacefully at his home on Thursday, June 19, 2025.

A funeral service to honor Foster’s life will be held at 3 p.m., Sunday, June 22nd at Atlantic Missionary Baptist Church, officiated by Rev. Terry McInnis. Interment, with military honors, will follow at Atlantic Community Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m., Saturday, June 21st at Atlantic Missionary Baptist Church. For those unable to attend, the service can be viewed through his obituary page on Munden Funeral Home’s website. The service will remain on the Funeral Home website for 90 days.

Foster was born on October 13, 1934, on Harkers Island, NC, one of ten children, to the late George Walden Nelson and Delphia Salter Nelson. Following high school, he honorably served in the United States Navy for 4 years and later transitioned to the United States Coast Guard. His time in the Coast Guard included active duty in the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962. After 20 dedicated years, Foster retired from the military in 1974 as an E6 with the rank of Machinery Technician First Class Petty Officer.

Foster married his sweetheart, Dolores House, on September 20, 1963, they were blessed with almost 40 years together before her passing in 2002. Following his military service, Foster and Dolores, returned Down East where he began a new career as a commercial fisherman, working 20 years for the Clayton Fulcher Fish House.

While being on the water was second nature to Foster, he also enjoyed hunting and had many prosperous hunting adventures with his son and grandson. Known for his amazing ability to fix anything he put his hand to, he could fix the most complicated problem and always did so with great ease. A true jack of all trades, Foster worked expertly with metal, welding and wood working. He spent hours building intricate little replica boats and detailed lighthouses. Among his proudest creations was the “Little Nick,” a shrimp trawler he built alongside his father.

At the end of the day, it was his family that was most important to him. Foster valued those relationships and loved family get togethers. A truly remarkable man, there was only one Foster Nelson!

Those remaining to cherish his memory are his daughter, Danielle Styron of Cedar Island; son, Foster O’Neal Nelson and wife Shannon of Newport; sister, Delphia Lou “Tinker” Mason of Atlantic; and grandchildren, Devon Styron and Desiree Styron, both of Cedar Island, and Jon Foster and Lindsay Nelson, both of Newport.

In addition to his parents and beloved wife, Foster was preceded in death by his siblings, Lila Mae Nelson, Anna Joyce Grace, William Thomas Nelson, Maurice O’Neal Nelson, Abbot “Pete” Nelson, George Walden Nelson, Ansley Nelson, and Donny Nelson; son-in-law, Benny Styron; and grandson, Chance Styron.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Atlantic Cemetery Fund, P.O. Box 222, Atlantic, NC 28511.

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net.

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory in Morehead City, NC.