Rev. Bryant McNeill Nelson

1932 - 2021

NELSON, Rev. Bryant McNeill, born February 16, 1932 at his childhood home in Tampa, Fla., passed away on May 10, 2021 at his home in Richmond, Va., surrounded by his loved ones. Rev. Nelson graduated from Hillsborough High School in Tampa, Fla. He attended the University of Florida, the University of Mexico City, and graduated from Bob Jones University in 1960. He completed additional graduate study at Radford University. He was an Eagle Scout and an Air Force veteran who served stateside during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged in 1952. While in college at Bob Jones, he met and married his sweetheart, Grace Moore. They were married in 1958 in Pittsgrove, N.J., and they recently celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary. Rev. Nelson was pastor at churches in Maryland, Florida and Virginia and served as a missionary in Costa Rica and Puerto Rico. He was an educator who started and led several Christian schools and served as President of Colonial Baptist College. He also served in the radio ministry at Bible Broadcasting Network (BBN) in a variety of roles for over two decades. He was the voice of the long running program, "Take A Minute," which will continue to air on BBN. He would end each broadcast with a word from the Psalms: "Selah. Meditate on this." He loved God and loved his family. He enjoyed traveling, reading and studying his Bible, playing games, reading the newspaper every day and cheering on the Florida Gators. His favorite Bible verse was Romans 5:8.

"But God commended his love towards us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." He was preceded in death by his parents, Laudies Sr. and Nell Nelson; his brother, Laudies Nelson Jr.; his four sisters, Mary Ellen Reilly, Margaret Tyner, Virginia Tinius and Claranelle Ragland; and his grandson, Austin Boelens. Survivors include his wife, Grace Nelson; children, Faith Boelens and husband, Martin, of Orlando, Fla., Steve Nelson and wife, Lee Ann, of Richmond, Va., Mark Nelson and wife, Ann, of Chesapeake, Va., Hope Heidelberg and husband, Randy, of Rowlett, Texas and Peter Nelson and wife, Jennifer, of Arlington, Texas; grandchildren, Brian Boelens, Tyler Heidelberg, Kyle Heidelberg, Katherine Leahey, Margaret Balsiger, Andrew Nelson, Liz Heidelberg, Taylor Nelson, Brooke Boelens, Erik Nelson, Elizabeth Nelson, Brett Heidelberg, Emily Nelson and Jack Nelson; and four great-grandchildren, Mitchell, Nate, Jamie and Bella. A visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, May 16 at the West Chapel of Bennett Funeral Home, 11020 W. Broad St., where a memorial service will be held on Monday, May 17, at 10 a.m. followed by a graveside service at the Virginia Veterans Cemetery at Amelia at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions should be made to Bible Broadcasting Network, a ministry that was near and dear to Rev. Nelson's heart. Selah.