Roland "Rolly" O. Nelson

Roland (Rolly) O. Nelson, 62, of Twin Falls, Idaho, formerly of Garretson and Aberdeen passed away on March 12, 2006 at the VA Medical Center in Boise, ID. Funeral services will be 10:00 AM, Friday, March 17, at Zion Lutheran Church, Garretson, SD. Visitations with family present will be from 5:00-7:00 PM Thursday, March 16, at the Minnehaha Funeral Home, Garretson. In lieu of flowers, the family is establishing a memorial fund.

Rolly was born on December 25, 1943 to Emmett and Gertrude (Johnson) Nelson at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD. They lived in Sioux Falls and Viborg before moving to Garretson in 1945, where they lived with his grandfather, Ole Johnson, after the death of his grandmother Bertha (Wangsness) Johnson. Ole passed away November 5, 1952. Rolly grew up in Garretson, was baptized and confirmed in Zion Lutheran Church, attended Garretson Public Schools, graduating from high school in 1961, where he was active in music and sports. He attended Augustana College for one year, and by mutual agreement it was decided that he pursue other interests. From 1962-63 he worked for Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls and Presbyterian Medical Center in San Francisco, CA. Rolly had a baseball tryout with the Minnesota Twins in June 1963 and was offered a contract to play for the Wytheville, VA Twins in the Appalachian Rookie League, but declined the offer and joined the U.S. Air Force in August 1963. He trained as a security policeman and was assigned to the 325th Air Police Sq. at McChord AFB, WA from 1963 to 1966, and with the 366th and 35th Security Police Sqs. (Gray Eagle) at Phan Rang AB, Viet Nam from March 1966 to February 1967, when he was separated from the air force at Travis AFB, CA. Rolly’s father Emmett passed away at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls that summer on August 25, 1967.


Rolly attended California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, CA for one year in 1967-68, where he lived and worked on the Eve Arden (Our Miss Brooks) ranch. He returned to South Dakota and enrolled at South Dakota State University in 1969. He married Mary Elgie on June 11, 1971 in Volga, SD. They lived in Garretson for 4 years and then Dell Rapids for 2 years, both being employed at the EROS Data Center. Their daughter Sara was born May 12, 1975. They were divorced in 1977. Rolly moved to Aberdeen, SD where he was employed by the City of Aberdeen as Data Processing Manager from 1978 to 1996, supervising computer system development for the city, Brown County, and the Aberdeen School District. Rolly’s mother, Gert, passed away at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls on January 14, 1992. After leaving the city, he had a few odd jobs in the Aberdeen and Sioux Falls areas, before moving to Elko, Nevada in 1999. Sara had recently finished a tour of duty in the U.S. Navy and had moved to that area. On June 23, 2001, Sara married Nick Ferreira in Lamoille, Nevada. Rolly moved to Twin Falls, Idaho in 2000, where he was a security officer for the FAA and Dell Corporation.


During the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s, Rolly coached baseball at many levels, including Garretson American Legion and Garretson amateur teams and pitched for many amateur teams including Garretson, Renner, Larchwood, Humboldt, Redfield and Claremont. While stationed at McChord he played for the air police basketball team that won two base championships and in 1965 was selected to the McChord Base Team. He loved baseball, western history, ghost towns and mines, hunting, fly fishing, jazz, and photography, but mostly loved his Lord and his family. He said the great privileges of his life were his many friends, growing up in Garretson, serving his country, being raised by loving parents in the Christian Faith and being a father and grandfather. He spent many memorable hours with his children and grandchildren; the loves of his life.


Thankful for sharing his life are his daughter, Sara and son-in-law, Nick Ferreira, his grandchildren, Erin Ashley and Emma Katherine, Elko, NV; one brother, Bob, Sioux Falls; three nephews: Chris, Sioux Falls, Matthew, Brookings, and J.T., Sioux Falls and their families and numerous relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, and many dear relatives, friends and comrades.