ST. JAMES, MN (August 31, 2016) – Retired Covenant pastor Chester (Chet) Lyle Nelson, 84, died Saturday, August 27.

He was born March 24, 1932, in St. James, Minnesota, the oldest of seven children of Elmer and Hazel Nelson. He grew up in Garfield, Minnesota.

Chet earned an associate’s degree at North Park College, a bachelor’s degree at San Jose State University, and a master’s of theology at Claremont School of Theology. He was ordained in the United Methodist Church.

He married Doris G. Wickstrom on April 24, 1955.

After serving in several Methodist churches in southern California, he worked for the Boy Scouts of America and was the organization’s district executive in California and Washington for 12 years before returning to full-time ministry.

He was ordained in the Evangelical Covenant Church in 1991. He served Minnehaha Covenant Church in Spokane, Washington, and the Port Allegany (Pennsylvania) Covenant Church. He retired in 2001.

Following his retirement, he coordinated vesper services at senior centers in the Spokane area and volunteered with Hospice of Spokane.

Doris preceded him in death in 2004. He married Bonnie Jean Colby on February 11, 2006.

In addition to his wife, survivors include his three children, daughters Lynda Klymko of Spokane and Leslie Thorpe of Potsdam, New York; son Kelvin Nelson of Kihei, Hawaii, their spouses, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday, October 1, at Hamblen Presbyterian Church in Spokane.