Loel Nelson, 82, of Bismarck, originally from Coleharbor, ND, passed away peacefully on March 4, 2020 at Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center in Bismarck.

Funeral Services will be held 11:00 AM Monday, March 9 ^th at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Riverdale, ND with Pastor VanVechten Crane officiating. Burial will follow in the Coleharbor Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM Sunday at Goetz Funeral Home, Washburn.

Loel was born on January 25, 1938, the oldest son of Raymond Demsey and Rebecca (Handy) Nelson in Underwood, ND. Loel was a 1956 graduate of Coleharbor High School and was a confirmed member of St. Andrews Lutheran Church, Coleharbor. Loel married Alma Swanson at Birka Lutheran Church, Washburn, on November 23, 1958. They built a home and lived on the family farm until 1969, when he decided he would like to teach farming. They moved to Fargo to attend North Dakota State University where he obtained a degree in Agriculture Education. Loel began his teaching career at Park River, ND and continued in teaching for Bismarck Public Schools and Bismarck State College. Loel taught a Veterans farmers class and an adult farm management class. He continued working with farm families on computerized record keeping. Throughout the years, Loel's farm families were very special to him and his family and developed life-long friendships. Although Loel spent many years teaching, he was a farmer at heart. He loved being the caretaker of the little Joe Barlow Farm on Turtle Creek which he had promised Grandpa Barlow he would do. Loel never met a stranger, he was always asking "where are you from?" including throughout the world travels that Alma and Loel enjoyed. Loel collected Lionel trains and shared his interest with his grandchildren.

Loel is survived by his wife of 61 years, Alma, of Bismarck; three sons, Kevin (Kris) Nelson of Hebron, ND, Bryan (Rebecca) Nelson of Rosemount, MN, and Steve Nelson of Moyock, NC; seven grandchildren, Abigail (Mathew) Devine, Loel Nelson, Ashlee (David) Wendel, Dana Nelson, Jordan (Samantha) Nelson, Jesse Nelson, Saydi Nelson; and eight great grandchildren, Gary, Ava, and Jones Nelson, Alexia and Beau Devine, Ellis and Sophia Wendel, & Parker Nelson.; one brother Monte of Warrensburg, MO; and sister Debra (Roger) Levos of Marco Island, FL; In-laws Sheryl Willits, Marcia (Arlie) Steinwand, Arvin (Pat) Swanson, and Rodney Swanson,

Loel was preceded in death by his parents, brothers (Terry and Randy Nelson), parents-in-law (Iva and Albin Swanson), and special grandparents (Alma's grandparents) Joe and Sophia Barlow.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the North Dakota FFA Foundation (909 Basin Ave., Bismarck, ND 58504)