David Lee Nelson, 76, passed away Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023, at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Grenada surrounded by family.

A memorial service to celebrate David’s life will be announced at a later date.

David was born on Oct. 8, 1946, to the late Tommie Lee “Tuck” Nelson and Maudine “Dean-Dean” Burks Nelson in Charleston. He honorably served our country in the United States Air Force during Vietnam Stateside as a SGT with the 379 Transportation Squadron at Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, MI.

He  worked most of life as an insurance agent. While with Combined Insurance he was the youngest agent to be honored with the Grand Diamond Award, many years later that honor would go to his son. Eventually moving to Reserve Life Insurance.

After retiring as an agent, he began to paint houses to stay busy. David has a knack for painting, drawing, writing poems, and short stories, he was very creative. Over the years he still loved planes and had a couple radio control planes, which he liked to restore. David had received his pilot’s license and loved to fly in his earlier years.

He was also musically talented and could play the guitar or any other instrument by ear. David played in bands while in and out of the Air Force, and was fortunate enough to cut a record with his bandmates. David moved back to his families land with his brother.

He became a member of Bethel United Methodist Church and was happy to help around the church whenever he could.

The family he leaves behind includes his three children, Amanda Bowers of Madison, Robin Willoughby of Madison,  and Greg Nelson of Brandon; his brother, Jerry Wayne Nelson of Pope; 8 grandchildren, Lee, Kameron, Kolby, Kaley, Cody, Gavin, Daniel, and Erick; and 5 great grandchildren.