Nelson, Darold Evert

Darold Nelson was born Sept 15, 1929 in Hawarden (Hay-warden), Iowa. His parents were poor, and they moved to wherever his dad could find work, including moving to Portland to work on war ships in World War II.

He put himself through college, and earned a degree in accounting at the University of South Dakota while living in his aunt’s furnace room. He served in the Korean War, helping protect South Korea from communist takeover and earned the rank of Lieutenant through ROTC. He fought in the trenches on the front lines for 10 months. He served at White Horse mountain, where some of the most crucial and dangerous fighting took place. During ten days of that battle, the hill would change hands 24 times after repeated attacks and counterattacks for its possession.
He led his men up to the tops of hills when they were too terrified to move after someone got shot and killed. He once told the story of saying “Charge!” to his men, and they didn’t move until he went first and led the way. He mentioned that as a great lesson in leadership. He earned a Bronze Star for his bravery.

When he got back to the states, he worked for Arthur Anderson Accounting in Kansas City. He met Shirley on a blind date,and married her in 1955. They lived in Independence Missouri, where they had two daughters: Janet and Peggy. Later they moved to Chicago, IL, and they became involved in Mount Prospect Christian Church, where Dick Jorgenson had a significant influence on Dad’s faith, bringing growth that impacted his whole life.
They then moved in the middle of a blizzard to DesPeres, MO in 1966. The first Sunday, driving out to go to church, he saw a sign in front of a house that read “Kirkwood Road Christian Church”. The family began attending there, and grew spiritually under a solid preacher, Luke Perrine. Over the years, Darold led Sunday School classes, Bible Studies, served on the board as a deacon, and then as an elder. He loved calling on people, and was always an encourager. They served there almost 50 years.

Darold worked for various companies as an accountant: Brunswick, Aloe and Blue Cross/Blue Shield. While at Blue Cross, he audited hospitals throughout Missouri for Medicare, including one in which he recently was a patient. He also was a co-purchaser of two apartment complexes. His partner in the transaction provided the cash, and Darold did the managing. He trained Shirley, Janet and Peggy how to field phone calls from potential renters, and they earned money for Bible Bowl trips by cleaning up after renters and doing yardwork on the grounds.

Darold worked hard at his job, always came home for supper with the family, and many evenings he spent serving at church. He saw the best in people, and sometimes the worst, but he always sought to see the best side, or try to understand, and did not give way to bitterness when people were ugly toward him. He always seemed to forgive, even when cheated by his business partner who fraudulently sold a couple of apartment buildings they co-owned, by forging Dads signature and pocketing the money. Dad would not let a lawyer go after the man for more than what was rightfully lost, and as a result he never recovered any money from the man.

Darold went on to own and manage the Mt. Vernon Apartments in Arnold, MO, and worked hard to make them profitable. He also became involved in people’s lives there and helped certain individuals to get back on their feet. He helped one of his long term managers get into home ownership by helping with her downpayment.

One time, one of his brother’s children was homeless and living on the streets. Darold went to Omaha and just looked for him. He finally found him living under a bridge and helped him get back on his feet.

Darold worked hard and was blessed financially, and gave regularly to his church. When Peggy took over paying his bills, she found he not only tithed, but also gave monthly to three childrens’ homes and two inner-city missions to the poor.

He loved to study the Bible, and the pages of his Bible were worn, and filled with loose papers where he had taken notes. He diligently went through countless Bible Study booklets, which were completely filled with his answers to their questions.

He also enjoyed playing golf, and hosting family and others to eat at the Greenbriar Country Club. He treated the church worship team to dinner there once a year. His grand kids all enjoyed the pool there, and some got a head start in learning to drive by driving golf carts around with him in the passenger seat! That’s bravery! He enjoyed taking Rebecca and Luke to Daily Bread, and teaching them to save money, and use it wisely.

He enjoyed skiing as well,and paid for a few family trips to Colorado. After he turned 70, he took pride in getting free lift passes granted for those 70 and older! He took a train to White Fish Montana to ski by himself while he was in his 70s.

When Luke completed his Black Belt in Tae Keon Do, Master Ahn organized a trip to Korea and China. Darold and Shirley took Luke on that trip, where they slept on a mat on the floor in a Buddhist temple in China, and participated in a Tae Keon Do event. Someone helped Darold find White Horse Mountain where he had fought so many years before. He and Luke saw the site of the war’s worst carnage… 24,000 soldiers died there 52 years before, and hardly a blade of grass had escaped all the bombing. He saw the hills now covered with beautiful grass and trees and his comment over and over was “Unbelievable”. The South Korea Troops honored dad when they found out he had fought in the Korean War and saluted him.

In 2003, Darold and Shirley sold their Des Peres, MO home of 36 years, and moved into a Villa on Butler Hill Court. There, as in their house in DesPeres, they continued hosting people for meals. Darold continued to play golf, while Shirley played tennis. He was a Sunday School teacher at their new church home: White Flag Church. And they were always encouraging.

Some years later Darold’s blood pressure started to drop, and he started experiencing vertigo. Golf had to go, and he had surgery to get a pacemaker. Shirley began struggling with dementia, and visiting helpers were hired to come in the home.

Due to Shirley’s increased needs, they moved into an Independent Living apartment, and in April 12, 2018, he lost his beloved wife.

In February 2021, Darold moved with Craig and Jan to their new home in Columbia, MO. They found he needed more assistance and moved him into Assisted Living apartments. He never lost his friendly demeanor, saying “hello” to everyone he met! Any staff who worked with Darold loved his sense of humor and how grateful he always was for anything they did.

Darold went home to heaven on July 8, 2022. I think we all could hear him greeted with “Well done, good and faithful servant.” He loved Jesus and served Him with His whole life.

He is survived by his daughter Janet and her husband Craig, their children Rebecca, Lucas, Sky and Ben, and grandchild Madeline. And also by Peggy and her husband Jim, their children Adam, Andrea and Julie, and grandchildren Alexandra and Grace.

Services: Funeral at Kutis South County Chapel 5255 Lemay Ferry Road on Friday, July 15, 8:30 am. Interment Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. Visitation Thursday 6:30 to 8:00 pm.