James D. Nelson, 72, of Rotonda West, Florida and formerly of Superior, died Thursday March 16, 2017 at Pinebrook Rehab Center in Venice FL.

James was born in Superior on August 22, 1944 the son of Ivor and Eleanor Nelson.

He attended Bryant School for elementary and middle schools and graduated from Cathedral High School in 1962. He attended the Salvatorian Seminary in St. Nazianz, WI and Mount St. Paul College in Waukesha, WI.

He had worked for Twin Ports Dairy, Duluth Scientific and Newberry's dime store prior to being drafted.

James was drafted by the Army and served during the Vietnam War. He was trained as a combat medic at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, and then assigned to the 4 ^th Field Hospital at Fort Dix, New Jersey. He was deployed to Vietnam with the 1 ^st Infantry Division 4 ^th Calvary Regiment. James was wounded in Vietnam and transferred to the Irwin Army Hospital at Fort Riley, Kansas. He medically retired on Feb. 20, 1970.

He was elected by the Douglas County Board to serve as the County Veterans Service Officer and in June 1970 became the youngest CVSO in Wisconsin. He later resigned as the CVSO and was hired by the Veterans Administration Regional Office in Milwaukee, WI. As a Veterans Benefits Counselor he was later transferred to Superior, WI as a Veteran's Education and Training Representative for UWS, Northland College, WITC in Superior and Ashland and held that role until the full time position was closed.

James is a lifetime member of DAV Chapter 4 in Superior and American Legion Post #113 in Rotonda West, FL. He was also a member of the National Association of Medics and Corpsmen.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Ivor Nelson, Jr.; and a sister, Marianne Patton.

James is survived by his sons, Thomas, Edwin and Andrew; six grandchildren; brothers, Greg and Ed; sister, Nancy (Rick) Cornell; and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will begin on Thursday March 23 from 10:00 a.m. until the 11:00 a.m. funeral service at Downs Funeral Home, corner of 19 ^th St. and Ogden Ave. Rev. Fr. Andrew Ricci will officiate.

Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery Veterans Memorial Square with military honors accorded by the Richard I. Bong American Legion Post #435.