Hundreds of photos peppered multiple poster boards on display during Blair Nelson’s memorial and funeral service.
Hundreds attend Nelson's funeral
Mon, 06/26/2023 - 1:57pm
"There wasn't a person with whom he wouldn't strike up a conversation, or a stranger he wouldn't befriend." - Family message
“Dad would want this to be light,” said Tenille Jennings during her father’s funeral on June 5, before proceeding to tell about the numerous practical jokes she and her father shared, including the time she listed his car for sale on Craig’s List for an April Fools joke.
About 500 people filled Waseca’s Grace Lutheran Church to capacity for the June 5 funeral of Blair Nelson, 65, chair of the Waseca County Board of Commissioners and area real estate businessman since 1994; Nelson died suddenly on May 30.
Daughter Nikki Benson described Nelson’s enthusiasm for sports, even to a point where she had to “shush” him from sharing his thoughts during games where she was coach.
Son-in-law Chas Benson told the story of a family shopping trip during which Nelson’s secretive behavior got him accused of shoplifting–to an extent where his planned Christmas surprise was ruined when a police officer demanded to see what was hidden beneath his jacket.
Story after story revealed Nelson’s energetic and sometimes impulsive character, including the time he jumped into a lake fully dressed to “rescue” one of his grandchildren on a water float which was drifting away. There was also the time he and some family members spent an hour searching for a long-distance cyclist coming through town who, it was said, needed a place to spend the night.
Nelson has been part of the Waseca community since graduating from Waseca High School in 1977. He worked selling Farmers Insurance with his father and brother, Blain; was employed at Brown Printing for 20 years, began selling real estate in 1994 and became co-owner of ReMax Real Estate with Blain in 2004.
He was elected to the Waseca County Board of Commissioners in 2010, has served on the board ever since, and was currently acting as its chair. According to his family, he took great pride in helping advance the veterans memorial now in place on the courthouse lawn, and in initiating acquisition of the “harvester” which is used to remove weeds in Clear Lake.
“Blair clearly was a people person and very kindhearted,” states a family message. “There wasn’t a person with whom he wouldn’t strike up a conversation, or a stranger he wouldn’t befriend.”