Franklin L. Nelson, age 86, of North Reading, passed away June 18th at the Wilmington Health Care Center following a lengthy illness. He was the Beloved husband of Catherine A. (Greenwood) Nelson. Born in Malden he was the son of the late George and Mary (Sorenson) Nelson.
Mr. Nelson was a retired truck driver and was a member of the Teamsters Union Local 25 for over thirty years. Mostly devoted to his family he enjoyed woodworking and gardening. Mr. Nelson was also a disabled United States Army Ranger of WWII and served as Staff Sergeant with the 398th Infantry Regiment in Rhineland and Central Germany. He was awarded three Bronze Star Medals and two Oak Leaf Clusters for his display of personal courage and tactical skill in directing his unit and for his exemplary conduct in ground combat against the armed enemy.
In addition to his beloved wife, Mr. Nelson is survived by his children, Franklin L. Nelson Jr. of Wilmington and Nancy R. Sjostedt of Medford. He is also survived by five loving grandchildren and eleven loving great grandchildren and is further survived by his brother, Arthur Nelson of Reading.
A funeral service will be conducted in the Dello Russo - Cavanaugh Funeral Home, 374 Main St., Wilmington, Monday, June 22nd, at 10 a.m. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Visiting hours will be Sunday from 4 thru 8. Services will conclude with burial at Riverside Cemetery, North Reading.