Leonard E. Nelson

A celebration of life for Leonard E. “Bub” Nelson, 89, of Coos Bay, will be held Saturday, March 29, 2025 at 2pm at the Coos Bay Eagles Lodge 568 S. 2nd St. A graveside service was held at 2pm, Thursday, March 6, 2025 at Sunset Memorial Park, 63060 Millington Frontage Road in Coos Bay for family and friends with Pastor Mark Schiro officiating. 

Bub was born August 8, 1935, at Kaiser Hospital in North Bend to parents, Arthur E. and Ines J. (Lundstrom) Nelson. He passed away February 27, 2025, with family by his side.

Bub was the youngest of four children: brothers, Clarence and Ron and sister, Hazel. They were raised on the family dairy farm on Haynes Inlet. He went to school at Sunny Hill and Redmond and North Bend High School.

Bub married Kay Burch and they had children, Leonard and Diane.

Bub married Bernie Bergstrom in 1967, and they were together 49 years before she passed in 2016. They had children Matt, Julee and Todd. They bowled in the Reno League for 25 years, were members of a dunes 4-Wheel-Drive club and were long-time members of the Eagles. They had fun camping adventures when the kids were young, like to the Crooked River area fishing/canoeing/rafting on the Deschutes. They traveled a lot and golfed at numerous courses and visited family around the country. Their travels included visits to his grandnephews in San Diego and grandniece in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

The Eagles were his other “family” and he referred to it as going to “the office” where he enjoyed visiting with friends and dancing (his therapy) which he was able to do until very recently.

He put up with meeting his brother and sister and family to play Swedish Rummy and nieces were entertained by the sibling teasing that carried on into their eighties. Some family and friends enjoyed treats from his garden (zucchinis, cucumbers, etc.) or his cooking (zucchini and blueberry breads, “Bernie’s” chicken, etc.).

Bub worked for Weyerhaeuser for many years, starting out logging and getting into road construction and road maintenance operating the crusher and driving dump truck.

After retiring from Weyerhaeuser, Bub traveled transporting cars for dealer trades, etc. including a flight to get a vehicle where Bub got to handle the controls and fly for a bit.

He is survived by his brother, Ron and sister-in-law, Jan; his children, Leonard Nelson and partner, Ramona, Diane Dennis and her husband, Terry and Julee Wirth and husband, Scott; grandsons, Eugene “Gene” Gavette (and Judy Keller), Ryan Wirth and Braden Wirth; great-grandsons, Brian Gavette, Vincent Gavette and Kyle Gavette; great-great grandson, Weston “Bubba”; many nieces and a nephew. We will remember his love, humor and teasing.

Bub is preceded in death by parents; his wife, Bernie; sons, Matt E. Nelson and Todd G. Nelson; sister, Hazel Bredskar and brother-in-law, Roy; brother, Clarence Nelson and sister-in-law, Bette.

In lieu of flowers, consider a donation to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Arrangements are under the care of Coos Bay Chapel, 541-267-3131.

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