Joseph E Nelson

Joseph E Nelson, beloved husband, father, grandpa, uncle and friend passed away peacefully at his home in Herriman, Utah on March 7, 2015 surrounded by his loving family after succumbing to his battle with cancer. His life was one truly spent in touching the lives of others.
Joe was born April 18, 1937 in Murray, Utah to Joseph Edgar Nelson and Lona Jones and grew up in the Avenues of Salt Lake City. He graduated from West High School where he cultivated a love of cars and racing. After high school, he joined the U.S. Army with his older brother, Larry, and they served together overseas in Germany for a year. After active duty, Joe transitioned to the Utah National Guard where he was later granted an Honorable Discharge. Joe married the love of his life, Ruth Mae Todd, in 1959 in the Salt Lake Temple and they raised four beautiful daughters. Joe loved serving in the LDS church, where he was a Bishop, Young Men's President, worked in the High Priest Group, and lastly, before he became ill, served as a Temple Worker at the Oquirrh Mountain Temple.
Joe owned and operated his first business, a service station, Nelson's UTOCO Service, but would later work for and manage many departments for JC Penny, where he would ultimately retire. After a few years, Joe returned to work where he fell in love with driving tour buses for such venues as the Salt Lake City 2002 Olympics and Branson, Missouri tours. This was truly a special time for Joe as he could put his huge heart and gregarious nature on display for all to see and love, not to mention his Grand mustache, on which everyone commented!
Singing and music were a huge part of Joe's life as he and his parents and siblings spent hours singing their favorite tunes. However, what really was at the core of Joe's heart was Ruth and his girls. He loved his wife and daughters completely and spent countless hours with them camping and boating at Deer Creek Reservoir and Bear Lake. He would later carry on these traditions with his grand and great-grandchildren as every summer was filled with a reunion with Grandpa Joe. Even as he became older and slowed down some, he insisted that the family continue these events and would even still waterski, himself, from time to time.
Joe had a love for the United States of America. He was fiercely patriotic and was involved in many charitable organizations that supported our troops. He could always be seen sporting a shirt, tie, or license plate that in some way defended freedom and thanked those who had sacrificed for it.
The one thing that unmistakably set Joe apart was that he truly made whomever he was with feel that THEY were the most important person alive. He just loved people...and people loved him! It did not matter whether it was a family member, a friend, or a stranger; Joe genuinely would care about each, and they KNEW that he cared about them. This was not a pretense or a forced nature to Joe...it was just who he was. One could not help but to fall in love with this kind, unassuming, accepting man who loved with his whole soul. Joe, our lives are not as full with you not in them, but we glory in the truth of the resurrection and know we will all get a "Joe hug" once again.
Joe is preceded in death by his parents and two older sisters and three older brothers. He is survived by his wife, Ruth, his daughters Heidi (Magilicutty), Annette (Pattycake), Julie (Petunia), and JoMae (Baby Nuts) and by many grand and great-grandchildren. The pet-names were not just for his daughters; everyone loved Joe's nicknames that he lovingly bestowed upon them.
The family would like to thank Chelsea, Melinda, Trisha, Russ, and Dr. Jane MacPherson at Quality Hospice for their devoted and loving care for Joe during his last three months of his life.
Viewings will be held at Jenkins-Soffe South Valley 1007 W. South Jordan Pkwy(10600 S), South Jordan, UT on Thursday evening, March 12 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM and at the Rose Canyon Stake Center 7079 West Rose Canyon Rd, Herriman, UT on Friday, March 13 from 9:30 to 10:45 AM. Funeral services will be held on Friday, March 13, 2015 at 11:00 AM at the above noted Rose Canyon Stake Center. Interment will follow the funeral at Redwood Memorial Estates 6500 South Redwood Road West Jordan, UT.
In lieu of flowers, the family would request that you make donations to the Wounded Warrior Project (woundedwarriorproject.org) or the Huntsman Cancer Institute (https://donate.huntsmancancer.org/2015-general-donation).

Funeral Home:
Jenkins-Soffe South Valley
1007 W. South Jordan Parkway
South Jordan, UT
USA 84095