Bruce C. Nelson, age 80 of Mandan, formerly of Washburn, ND, died June 30th, 2013 at the Sanford Health Mandan Living Center.

Funeral Services will be held 10:30 A.M. Wednesday, July 3rd at First Lutheran Church in Washburn with Pastor Erik Johnson officiating. Burial will follow in the Riverview Cemetery, Washburn.

Visitation will be from 4:30 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. Tuesday at Goetz Funeral Home in Washburn.

Bruce Christian Nelson was born March 5, 1933 in Washburn, ND to Hans and Irene (Haugeberg) Nelson. He was baptized and confirmed in the Washburn United Methodist Church. Bruce was raised in Washburn and graduated from Washburn High School in 1951. He married Shirley Jean Yunker on June 28, 1953 in Washburn. Together they farmed west of Washburn and raised two children, T.J. and Julie. Bruce and his family moved to Fargo where he attended North Dakota State University. They later returned to Washburn where he began his career as a rural mail carrier. Bruce and Shirley also owned and operated Nelson Super Valu in Washburn for several years. Following the death of their son T.J., they sold the grocery store and moved to Mandan where Bruce continued on a rural mail route for the U.S. Postal Service. They moved back to Washburn in 1982 and returned working his rural mail route in 1982. Bruce worked several additional jobs throughout his lifetime, which included custom combining, school bus driver, and farm worker. Bruce became a member of the First Lutheran Church in Washburn and served on the church council. He was active with the Bismarck Elks Lodge, the Masons and El Zagal Shrine, the Washburn Gun Club, and a member of the Rural Mail Carriers Assocation. Bruce enjoyed hunting and spending time at the Nelson hunting cabin west of Washburn, the same cabin his grandfather (T.J. Haugeberg) built in 1904-1905. Bruce had many fond memories of hunting with his dad, son, son-in-law, and grandsons, as well as many of his close friends and relatives. Bruce and Shirley enjoyed traveling together and spent several winters in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Due to his failing health, Bruce entered the Prairieview Nursing Home in Underwood and was recently transferred to the Mandan Living Center.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Shirley Nelson of Washburn; one daughter and son-in-law, Julie & Wayne Petersen of Washburn; three grandchildren, Benjamin (Shawna) Petersen of Eden Prairie, MN, Katie (David) Goetz of Fargo, & Dane Petersen of Bismarck; three great-grandchildren, Michael Gerlach, Trey Petersen, & Layla Goetz; four nieces, Deb Dawson, Patti Gordon, Ginny (Chuck) Fosberg, & Judy Dawson-Hermanson; three sisters-in-law, Marilyn (Lyle) Luttrell, Becky (Bob) Salveson, Kathy (Jim) Kaiser; and two brothers-in-law, Gordon (Mary) Yunker & Douglas (DeAnn) Yunker of Washburn; and many Yunker nieces & nephews.

Bruce was preceded in death by his parents, one son (T.J.), one brother (T.J.), & one sister (Barbara Dawson).