Ted Nelson of Maxwell Township, rural Dawson, died suddenly early Friday morning, October 16, 2009, at the Deuel County Memorial Hospital in Clear Lake, South Dakota, at the age of 70. Funeral service will be at 1:30 PM, on Monday, October 19, 2009, at Zion Lutheran Church, Tyro Township, rural Boyd, with Pastor Loren Kruse officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday, October 18, from 4-7PM at the Hanson & Dahl Funeral Home in Dawson. Theodore John Nelson was born on May 27, 1939, in Jordan, MN, the son of Reissnor and Rose (Schmitt) Nelson. He grew up in the Jordan area and on December 9, 1966, Ted was married to Davidean Roller. He worked casting cement culverts. Ted married Rhonda Anderson on April 2, 1977, in Dalbo, MN. He worked as a school janitor in Cambridge, MN, and when they moved to Dawson, Ted worked at Friendship Homes and Brandon Tire in Montevideo, Cliff Viessman Inc. of Dawson, and a part time janitor for the Dawson Boyd Schools. After his heart attack in May of 2006, he retired for health reasons. He loved polka music, dancing, NASCAR racing, gardening, fishing, and spending time with his wife, children, grandchildren, other family and friends. Ted died suddenly on Friday, October 16, 2009, at the Deuel County Memorial Hospital in Clear Lake, South Dakota, at the age of 70 years, 4 months, and 19 days. He is survived by his wife, Rhonda Nelson of Dawson; children: Melody (Marco) Cox of St. Paul, Theodore Jr.(Erika) of Dawson, Jennie Nelson and fiance, Greg Greenberg of Lake Benton, Stephanie Nelson of Dawson and Elizabeth Nelson of Dawson; 5 grandchildren: Robert Nelson, David Nelson, Zachary Powelson, Faith Powelson and Tanner Goschey; 5 brothers: Bob (Mary) of St. Paul, Roger (Sheila) of New Prague, Don (Rosie) of Jordan, Shel of Jordan and Darrel of Jordan: 2 sisters: MaryAnn Hagg of Brooklyn Park and Rosemary Donaldson of Jordan; other family and many friends. Preceding him in death were his parents; wife, Davidean; daughters: Lorinda Sue Nelson and Loretta Lynn Nelson; brother, Joseph Nelson; infant sister, Eileen Nelson and sister, Dorothy Nelson.