ARLEIGH "PETE" NELSON

Arleigh Lincoln "Pete" Nelson, 101 of Loveland, died November 25, 2024, at Lakeview Commons in Loveland due to congestive heart failure.

Arleigh was born April 14, 1923 at the Nelson family farm west of Sidney, Nebraska to Edward and Verda (Glassburn) Nelson. He was the 11th of 12 children born to the family and was nicknamed Pete as a young child. He married Aurleen Fehringer on June 6, 1950 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Sidney, Nebraska.

He graduated from Lorenzo High School in 1942. After high school he worked on the family farm which he purchased from his father in 1952. While on the farm he raised wheat, cattle, and sheep, pumped oil wells, and worked as a mechanic out of his shop. He used to hand shear all of his sheep which was quite the task. He was on the Lorenzo School Board, sang in the choir at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and belonged to the Peetz Lions Club. In 1965 they moved from the farm to Loveland, CO, and he worked for Great Western Sugar, Woodward Governor, Davidson Chevrolet and ended up at Northern Colorado Equipment.

At 70, he started the business of Nelson Home Repair followed by Nelson Blind Repair until he retired at age 95. He was a member of the Loveland Elks and St. John Evangelist Church, where he sang in the church choir. He was a loving husband, a wonderful Dad, a memorable grandpa (Boompa to some), and a loyal friend.

He is survived by his cat, Leo, three daughters, Charleen Warriner (Matt), Pam Nelson (Mike Aho) of Loveland and Jodi Hart (Ed) of Berthoud. He has five grandchildren: Nicole Smiley of Loveland, Shawna Reardon (Bill) of Yankton, SD, Dylan Sommerfeld (Amber) of Windsor, Ross Hart (Jenny) of Berthoud and Andi Hart of Fort Collins. He is also survived by 14 great grandchildren: Makayla Richard (Anthony) of TX, Abrianna Smiley of Ft. Collins, and Codie Smiley of Loveland; William (Eleanor) Reardon of Sioux Falls, Courtney, Chloe, Sophia, Thomas and Johnathan Reardon of Yankton; Alyssa, Hailey, and Logan Sommerfeld of Windsor; Parker Hart of Berthoud; Hudson Drennen of Fort Collins and two great-great grandsons, Easton Richard and Teddy Reardon. He is also survived by a brother-in-law Ivan Fehringer and wife Donna. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife Aurleen, his parents, all his siblings and their spouses, two brothers-in-law, and two sisters-in-law, sons-in law Ken Bernhardt and Dennis Bylina, great-grandsons Matthew Aaron Smiley and Joseph Amen Reardon.

A Catholic Mass was celebrated at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church on Monday, December 2, 2024. Internment followed at Resthaven Memory Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to NOCO Humane (Formerly Larimer Humane Society) or Loveland Veterans Honor Monument.

ARLEIGH "PETE" NELSON