Thomas Olin Nelson, Sr.
September 25, 1925 – January 27, 2019

Thomas Olin Nelson, Sr., age 93, passed away on January 27, 2019. Funeral services will be held at the Chapel of Clark Funeral Home on Wednesday, January 30, 2019, at 2:00 p.m. followed by private family graveside service at Pine Hill Cemetery in Cairo. Rev. Charles Parker will officiate. Services will conclude at the chapel.

Mr. Nelson was born in Grady County Georgia on September 25, 1925. He was the eldest son of Thomas Wintford Nelson and Leila Collins Nelson. He worked on the family farm until he joined the United States Navy during World War II where he served in the Pacific fleet and the Philippine Islands achieving the rank of Petty Officer. In 1948, he married Evelyn Joyce Wright. He was a devoted husband and father. Together they raised four children. After his marriage and discharge from the US Navy, Mr. Nelson farmed in Cairo and drove a taxi in Tallahassee. He later obtained a job at the Borden Dairy in Tallahassee which lead to a 50 year career as their Maintenance Foreman. After the Borden Plant closed, he continued to work with the company traveling the country working as a trouble shooter until his retirement in 1990. After his retirement, Mr. and Mrs. Nelson traveled the US and enjoyed camping. He was an enthusiastic supporter and participant of the Grady County Senior Citizen Center for many years where he served on the Board of Directors. Mr. Nelson was an active member of Fellowship Baptist Church in Tallahassee and later at Pine Hill Baptist Church in Grady County.

He is survived by his children, Thomas Olin Nelson, Jr. (Sonia) of Oxford, GA; Robert Wintford Nelson of Tallahassee, FL; Leila Kathleen Nelson of Crawfordville, FL; and Mark Wright Nelson (Cathy) of Hobe Sound, FL; and eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held at Clark Funeral Home, 334 S. Broad Street, Cairo, GA 39828 on Tuesday, January 29, 2019 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 pm.