Kenneth Elmer Nelson, 68, died on Wednesday, May 8, 2019 at his home in Gilman. A visitation will be held at Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell on Tuesday, May 14, 2019 from 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. A funeral service will be held Tuesday, May 14, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. at Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell. Kenneth Elmer Nelson was born on May 8, 1950 in Grinnell, Iowa, the son of Elmer LeRoy Nelson and Evelyn Iris (McLennan) Nelson. Ken attended Grinnell High School in 1968. Ken grew up on a farm north of Malcom. After high school, Ken went to work for Holland's Plastic in Gilman. Ken started working at Lennox in Marshalltown on January 17, 1994. He worked in the cabinet shop for 20 years until his retirement on September 2, 2014. He was known hard worker and a kind and quiet man. Ken enjoyed hunting and reading Doc Savage books and was also very interested in the economy. He was known as a loyal neighbor who kept his lawn immaculate. The neighbors all knew that if he mowed his lawn, it meant it was time to mow their own lawn. Ken was a member of U.A.W. Local 893 in Marshalltown. Kenneth Elmer Nelson, 68, died on Tuesday, May 7, 2019 at his home in Gilman. He is survived by his brother, Dale Nelson of Moorehead, MN; his two step siblings, Dick Chvala of Glendon, MN and Larry Chvala of Bena, MN; his nephews, Tyson Nelson of Thermopolis, WY, Travis Nelson of Cheyenne, WY, and Aaron Nelson of Indianapolis, IN; his aunt, Helen (Dale) Lippincott of Grinnell; several cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents; his grandparents; Elmer and Jeanie Nelson, Waldo and Inez McLennan; his siblings; Gaylon Nelson, Ronald Nelson, Janet Nelson in infancy.