Ronald J. Nelson, age 73, of Brookings, died Thursday, October 14, 2010, at his home in Brookings, South Dakota. Funeral Mass will be held 10:30 A.M. Monday, October 18, 2010, at St. Thomas More Catholic Parish in Brookings, with interment in the Grandview Cemetery, Gary, South Dakota. Visitations will be from 5-7 P.M. Sunday, followed by wake services at 7 P.M., all at Eidsness Funeral Home. Memorials may be directed to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Ronald James Nelson was born December 19, 1936, at Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Hans and Irene (Banwarth) Nelson. He moved as a young child with his family from Minneapolis to Canby, Minnesota. There he attended school and played football, basketball and baseball in high school. He graduated from Canby High School in 1954. Ron earned his Pharmacy Degree from South Dakota State University in 1958.

On March 3, 1962, Ron wed Barbara Ann Hill and the two had many addresses while Ron worked for several pharmacies including: St. Paul, Glenwood, and Montevideo, Minnesota; Phoenix and Safford, Arizona; and Chamberlain and Huron, South Dakota. In 1967 they moved to Brookings, where they purchased Shirley Drug and continued to raise their family. Ron was still working part-time for Pamida in Madison, South Dakota, until his illness forced him to retire this year.

Ron was a member of St. Thomas More Catholic Parish and the Knights of Columbus. His hobbies included stained glass fabrication, woodworking, travel, golf, and enjoying Vikings and Twins games.

Survivors include his wife, Barbara Nelson, of Brookings; children: Jeff Nelson of Turner, Montana, Annette (Keith) Maine of Omaha, Nebraska, Beth (Matt) Kenney of Sterling, Virginia, Kevin (Krista) Nelson of Atlanta, Georgia, Michael (Lisa) Nelson of Parker, Colorado, Mary (Rodney) Rohrer of Metamora, Illinois; and 13 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Gloria (Nelson) Melby; and a granddaughter, Katherine Eva Rohrer.