Robert Nelson of Frederic, Wisconsin passed away peacefully at the age of 87, surrounded by his loving family on Jan. 4, 2025.
Bob was born on Jan. 8, 1937, to Lester and Ruth Nelson, who raised Bob on the family farm in Clam Falls, Wisconsin. Bob learned the value of hard work early on by helping care for the dairy cows, tending the fields, and completing carpentry projects with his father. Commuting to school by foot each day, Bob and his adored siblings attended the one-room Rocky Ridge School and later, Bob completed his education at Frederic High. Inspired by his older brother, Bob joined the army immediately following his time in school, finishing basic training at Fort Riley in Kansas and serving in the occupation in Germany where he achieved the ranking of sergeant. Bob was honorably discharged from the service in January of 1958.
As fate would have it, Bob met the love of his life, Marie Fenton, on a blind date arranged by a knowing friend. Together, Bob and Marie discovered a fulfillment Bob knew he would find with no other. After settling in Lewis, Wisconsin, Bob and Marie married on Sept. 12, 1958. Within a few years’ time, the happy couple started their family with the birth of son, Scott, in 1960 and later completing it in 1963 with the addition of a daughter, Angela. In Lewis, Bob and Marie built a beautiful new home in 1968 where they raised their children and for decades hosted holidays, welcomed friends, and greeted a cherished community. Later, the couple purchased a second home in Florida where they spent the winter months, effortlessly integrating themselves into the local community and sharing their home with a growing circle of family and friends for 14 years. However, it was within the walls of their Lewis domicile that the retired couple returned to love and embrace their grown children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren until 2023.
Bob built a successful working career, developing Lewis Silo Company with his brother Kenneth in 1953. For 39 years, the brothers supported the farming community by constructing silos, pole sheds, and grain bins, as well as installing feeding equipment, all with the help of novel techniques cleverly established by the duo. When Kenneth retired in 1992, Bob ran the business independently for a final ten years.
Earning a living did not inhibit Bob’s dedication to life outside of his distinguished career. As a devoted father and husband, Bob and Marie took vacations to different states and countries, later toting their two children along for the ride. An avid outdoorsman, Bob also found time to enjoy fishing and hunting with his brothers and cousins, eventually purchasing a parcel of land adjacent to Knapp Flowage (Lake Nono) where Bob and his family could engage in outdoor activities just a short distance from home. However, Bob found joy not only in time spent with his family and his hobbies but also in helping others. In the late ‘70s, Bob became a member of the Masonic Lodge and eventually coupled his involvement by joining the Shriners’ charitable efforts. Motivated by the positive influence he was able to have on communities in need and the lives of ailing children, Bob immersed himself in his freemasonry work, operating as Master at the Frederic Masonic Lodge during his 50 years of service. Also an active member of the Lewis church, Bob was able to make a lasting impact on his community by giving time, hard work, carpentry skills, and his loving heart in whatever way was needed.
Anyone who knew Bob also knew his exceptional talent as a woodworker. Having discovered his passion for woodworking in his youth, Bob was able to explore this skill once again in retirement. Bob’s projects were imaginative, functional, and breathtaking, always a labor of love and completed with the utmost attention to detail. It was this remarkable ability to build and to create from the heart that allowed Bob to give back to his family, friends, and communities in ways that will simply never be replicated. However, what remains infinite is the impression Bob left on everyone who knew him, one that transcends the boundaries of space and time and inspires us to live a life so full of love that together we make the world a brighter place to be.
Bob is survived by his wife, Marie, of Frederic; his son, Scott (Marlene), of Lewis; and his daughter, Angela (Vaughn) Karl, of Colfax; as well as many nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
You are invited to leave condolences, memories, and photos at rowefh.com. Arrangements are entrusted to the Rowe Funeral Home in Frederic, 715-327-4475, and the Northwest Wisconsin Cremation Center in Milltown.
