Will Owen Anton ‘Tony’ Nelson, age 80, of North Platte, NE, passed away Saturday, December 19, 2015, at Great Plains Health in North Platte.

Will was born August 2, 1935, to Owen Tielman and June Violet Stoddard Nelson northwest of Hershey, NE and was baptized into the R.L.D.S. Church as a boy. Will grew up and attended school in North Platte then hired on with the Union Pacific Railroad in 1952. He first worked in the Freight House then was a Fireman/Oiler and in 1968 became an Engineer. Will retired from the railroad on November 27, 1997.

During his career with the railroad, Will served in the U.S. Army from 1958 to 1960 and lived in Los Angeles, CA. In 1953 he was married to his first wife, Diana Nisley, and to this union three daughters were born.

Will was an avid fisherman and hunter and member of B.L.E.

Will is survived by his daughters, Judy (Peter) Rodriguez, of Denver, CO, Linda (John) Datschefski, of Independence, MO, and Sheryl (Mark) Schaeffer, of North Platte; nine grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; two sisters, Patricia Chittenden, of North Platte and Aneida Mobley, of Yuma, AZ; six brothers, James (Kathy) Nelson, of Franklin, NE, Glenn (Berta) Nelson, of Gering, NE, Richard Nelson, of Harman, IL, Daniel (Sandra) Nelson, of Sutherland, NE, Harold Nelson, of Lincoln, NE, and Albert Nelson, of Omaha, NE; numerous nieces and nephews and other family.

Will was preceded in death by his parents; and a brother, Julian Nelson.

Funeral Service will be 10 a.m. Wednesday, December 30, 2015, at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore. Burial with military honors will follow in Fort McPherson National Cemetery. Visitation will be 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore which is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may also be shared at odeanchapel.com. Memorials are suggested to the American Heart Association.