John Henry Nelson IV, 83, was born October 30, 1929 in The Bronx of New York City. Obviously he could not wait to become a Texan because in 1946, at the age of seventeen he left New York and came to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX for basic training. This marked the beginning of an extensive career of twenty plus years in the USAF and Federal Civil Service.

While in the Air Force, John Henry pursued an interest in firefighting and received firefighter and aircraft crash rescue training. He served on several bases, progressing through the ranks and achieving the position of Fire Chief at Billy Mitchell Air Force Base, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 1963

John Henry received a transfer to Ellington Air Force Base, Houston, Texas and a few short years later retired from the Federal Civil Service.
John Henry was the recipient of many accolades and awards as a result of his dedication to the USAF and firefighting. Further, this dedication led to his receiving four Honorable Discharges from the USAF and attaining the rank of Senior Master Sergeant.

Although he never gave up his love for firefighting, in the mid 1960's he started Nelson Services Co. and initially operated it from his home. He built this business into the largest bark mulch and soil conditioning products company in the southern United States.

In the early 1990s John Henry sold the company and moved to Sargent, TX. Except for a short period in Henderson, NV, he has remained a resident of Sargent.
John Henry Nelson was a thinker, an innovator and a developer.
While in the fire service he invented process for moving fire suppression water flow up to 5000 feet.

During his life he developed, operated or was involved in several businesses; fire extinguisher sales & service, hydrilla harvesting machines, mining for microscopic gold, and oilfield horizontal drilling equipment.

John Nelson enjoyed several hobbies: raising and racing pigeons, fishing and working, and working, and working, and working

John Henry Nelson departed from this earth on January 7, 2013. He leaves his wife, Dodie Nelson, sons, Jim Wesley Nelson and wife Sandy, Leslie Jack Nelson and wife Norma, John David Nelson and wife Jeanette, John W. Snelson and wife Ruby, and Calvin Roderick Loper and wife CJ, his beloved brother Jim Nelson and wife Joannie, 17 grandchildren, and 24 great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his daughter Sophie Ann Snelson.

Services will be 2:00 PM Thursday at Taylor Bros. Funeral Home Chapel with visitation from 11:00 to 2:00 before the service. The family requests that In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to the Wounded Warriors or other Veteran organizations. Services are under the direction of Taylor Bros. Funeral Home.