Edward Leonard Nelson

Edward "Ed" Leonard Nelson

May 26, 1944 - May 22, 2026Edward "Ed" Leonard Nelson passed away after a long illness four days shy of his 82nd birthday.

Ed was the oldest child born to Lois and Edgar Nelson in Houston, Texas. The family later moved to Dallas where his father opened a printing business. There Ed graduated from Sunset High in 1962. He went on to complete a few years of college at the University of Texas in Austin.

In 1966 Ed joined the Navy completing basic training in Pensacola, Florida at the Naval Aviation Officers School. From there he was commissioned to Atsugi, Japan as a Personnel Officer flying to various military bases around the world. He talked of fond memories of his time spent in Japan. After an honorable discharge in 1969 he returned to Dallas.

Anxious to continue his education he entered the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, where he received a BS in Business and Accounting in 1972. He was offered a job in Portland, Oregon at an accounting firm named Arthur Young. This gave him the opportunity to see what the Great Northwest was about.

After a short career at Arthur Young Ed returned to Dallas where he was introduced to a family in the restaurant business through his fathers printing business. They brought him in as General Manager where he worked until they closed the restaurant in the early 90's.

Lots of vacations were spent in the Great Northwest where Ed bought a cabin on the Puget Sound. In 1992 he decided to make the move to Washington settling in Gig Harbor. With a growing interest in nature he decided to open a couple of nature themed gift stores and enjoyed traveling the country finding merchandise to stock them. He closed the stores in 2012 and retired.

Being an avid hiker Ed searched for places to explore here in the Northwest. He also enjoyed going to Disneyland and Disneyworld. It was his happy place. Often bringing his mom along. Not sure who enjoyed it more. Another favorite past time was meeting friends in Vegas or Reno as he traveled there frequently to unwind and have some fun.

Ed leaves behind his Life Partner and travel companion, Dee, his sisters Dorothy Nelson and Nadine Harris of Texas, along with several nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, Lois and Edgar Nelson.