He was born June 6, 1934, in Mancos to Thomas and Laura Nelson. Â He attended grade school in Leadville and the Maysville country school. Â Many of his later growing-up years were spent on ranches in the Salida area. Â He graduated from Salida High School in 1952. Mr. Nelson enlisted in the Navy, serving honorably from January 1953 to January 1957. Â Most of that time was spent on a ship in the Pacific during the Korean War. Â He returned to Salida where he met and married Nancy Henderson. They were married July 4, 1957. Â Mr. Nelson worked at the Climax mine at that time. Â The coupleâs first child, Sheryl, was born in Salida. Â