February 6, 1940 – March 2, 2019
at the age of 79 years
A Celebration of Life for Nelson will be held Saturday, June 15, 2019, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. at Little Mountain Field House, 250 30 Street SE, Salmon Arm, BC
Nelson John Anderson passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 2, 2019 at home with his loving wife of 56 years Caroline at his side. He is also survived by his son Ian and grandson Brody, many nieces and nephews, his step sister Mary Lyon as well as many in-laws. Nelson and Caroline recently moved from the Cariboo to the Okanagan, and most recently moved to Salmon Arm. Nelson was a happy, friendly man who loved helping others and had a knack for fixing anything. He was a philosophical man and had a positive impact on all those that had the good fortune of crossing his path. Many happy memories were made over the years with Nelson playing the guitar while everyone present sang along. He enjoyed time fishing, hunting and camping and he always had a good story to tell. Nelson lived most of his life in British Columbia and worked in many capacities in the mining industry throughout his work life. He also volunteered for the Port Hardy Ambulance Service and the Industrial First Aid group in Merritt.
Nelson was predeceased by his mother and father Winifred (Johnston) and Alexander Anderson and his brothers Dave and Bill as well as sisters Doreen Mutch and Ena Vestre. Nelson did not wish to have a funeral service upon his passing but rather preferred a celebration of life that will be scheduled for a later date in the spring of 2019.
The family would like to thank the Interior Health Community Care Services and the Shuswap Lake General Hospital as well as Dr. Bonthuys.
In lieu of flowers, it is requested that donations be made to the Canadian Cancer Society.
We got to know Nelson and Caroline in Port Hardy as neighbours and then friends. Our condolences to Caroline and Ian. Mel’s will be missed. Bruce and Cathy Deacon
I worked with Nels in the early days of starting up the Mount Polley Copper Gold Mine. He worked there, in the processing plant, as one of the 4 Shift Foreman including myself. I went on to the Training Position and found Nels to be a wealth of Milling information that helped me alot to start writing Training Manuals. Nels was a complete joy to work with. I could tell when I met his wife Caroline that he was completely devoted to her. When the mine shut down for 4 years Mel’s went up to the Canada Tungsten Mine. When I saw him again he told me that he had left that mine in the NWT (retired), which was a 3 week in and 3 week out rotation because when he was off work on his 3 week break he woke up to find Caroline not breathing. This scared him so much and being so in love with her, he decided right then that he wasn’t leaving home again! I am so sad to hear this news,Rest in Peace Nels!
The world will miss your cheery smile and twinkle in your eye. God speed.