Kenneth Everett Nelson M.D.

1932 - 2023

Kenneth Everett Nelson, MD Kenneth Everett Nelson, MD ("Ken") peacefully passed away on July 29, 2023, at the age of 90 following a courageous battle with Alzheimer's disease, during which he received thoughtful care and support from teams at Safe Haven at The Commons, Right at Home, and Hope West Hospice. Ken was in the company of his close family members, who will continue to honor his legacy by living their lives to the fullest, advocating for their community, the environment, and their own families. He was a loving husband, a supportive father of his three children, totally enchanted with his five grandchildren, and a devoted mentor and friend to many, both personally and professionally. Ken is survived by his beloved wife of 57 years, Sandy, his three children, Wendy, Mike (Marsha) and Carol, and his five grandchildren, Alaina, Margaret, Lily, Hayden and Ray.

Ken was born and raised in Marshfield, WI. He grew up in a large eleven children household, living very humbly amid often challenging circumstances. Ken and his siblings started to work at a young age to help support the family. With these challenges, his love of learning gave him the ability to excel academically, shaping the underpinnings of a life well-lived and a career offering him the ability to help others in so many ways.

Prior to pursuing advanced education, Ken served in the U.S. Air Force, with the Strategic Air Command, despite suffering from undiagnosed scoliosis. He endured combat in the Korean War, which included surviving a military plane crash. Later in his non-military medical career, Ken volunteered as a civilian doctor during the height of the Vietnam War. At the time of the Tet Offensive of 1968, he was working at a Vietnamese civilian hospital in Da Nang, notably establishing a burn unit, focusing on napalm injuries. Years later, in 1975 following the U.S. evacuation from Vietnam, Ken supported caring for Vietnamese refugee children when they arrived at The Presidio in San Francisco, CA.

Ken completed his associate's degree from Kendall College, in Evanston, IL. He finished his bachelor's and master's degrees at the University of Southern Illinois, in Carbondale, IL. In 1964 he earned his medical degree at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago, IL followed by a medical internship at Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, IL. In 1966, Ken began his family practice career with Broomfield Family Practice in Broomfield, CO. He and his family then moved to Burley, ID, followed by Marshfield, WI. In 1976, the family settled in Grand Junction, CO where Ken opened his own private medical office. Starting 1996 he joined St. Mary's Hospital's rural clinic practice team, assisting the communities of Norwood, Ouray, Parachute and Clifton. Ken also worked as an on-call physician with Primary Care Partners' Docs on Call Medical Clinic in Grand Junction. In 2001, Ken fulfilled various locum tenens positions serving rural and frontier areas in Colorado, Montana, Arizona, North Dakota and Utah, including various Indian Reservations in these states. Throughout his career, he provided family practice services to generations of families up to his retirement. Ken was a respected member of St. Mary's Hospital's medical staff and hospital leadership throughout his private practice career. As a physician, he offered all his patients compassion, care, and respect, which was reciprocated in immeasurable ways.

Ken was enthusiastically involved in his community. He actively participated in The Kiwanis Club of Grand Junction, Powderhorn Racing Club, District 51 Youth Soccer, Amigos De Las Americas, Mesa County Partners, and was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Grand Junction, CO. The community of Lake City, CO and Hinsdale County became a special place for the Nelson family. Ken was an advocate for this community via his support of Lake City DIRT and Lake City Arts. He held a particular fondness for working on the hiking trails around Lake City, CO.

The simplest pleasures in life brought great joy to Ken and his family, starting with his love of nature and fascination with various landscapes across the country, in particular Colorado's mountains, the desert landscape of the Southwest, and especially the Grand Canyon. He and his wife Sandy loved traveling, exploring the nooks and crannies of unique areas and landscapes; retiring at the end of their days cozied up in their favorite pop-up camper. Ken appreciated the outdoors to the fullest - a determined skier, an avid hiker, and an enthusiastic fisherman. In the company of his family, he loved camping, hiking, backpacking, kayaking, and canoeing. Art and music were incredibly important to Ken. His favorite musician was Neil Diamond. Ken valued art and in fact on his own, became an accomplished wood carving artist, favoring birds. He taught his children to notice and appreciate the outdoors and artistic contributions, and they have in turn passed this love to their children. Ken took great pride in caring for his home, fixing all things broken, making improvements, completing many woodworking projects, preparing pancakes, enjoying dessert first and planting so many trees. Ken regaled his children with stories of working in his father's shoe shop, the town's movie theater, a pickle factory, and the local pizza place, just to name a few. His children learned from these stories that establishing a work ethic is valuable and any job can be rewarding and entertaining at the same time.

Ken is best remembered by his determination, work ethic, kindness, patience, love of learning, contribution to his community and most of all his compassion. A memorial celebration is scheduled at the First Presbyterian Church on October 7, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. Charitable contributions in memory of Ken Nelson, MD can be made to Colorado National Monument Association at 1750 Rim Rock Drive, Fruita, CO 81521. Ken's all-time favorite hiking path was "The Serpent's Trail" on the Monument. If you ever find yourself on that very special trail, give him a "high five" when you reach the top.