Mr. Russell Clifford Nelsen

Mr. Russell Clifford Nelsen, age 90, a resident of Dothan, died Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007, at his residence. A memorial service will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, 2007, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Dothan with the Rev. Ted Richter officiating and Southern Heritage Funeral Home and Crematory directing. Mr. Nelsens cremated remains will be interred on a later date at Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Union Grove, Wis. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church Memorial Prayer Garden,105 Luther Way, Dothan, AL 36301. Mr. Nelsen was born June 3, 1917, in Racine, Wis., the son of the late Adolph and Anne Simonson Nielsen. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army as an Artillery First Sergeant in the European Theater U.S. Ninth Army. He was stationed in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. While serving in the Army, he received various awards including the Victory and Good Conduct Medals, the American Theater and European African Middle Eastern Theater Ribbons, two Bronze Battle Stars, two Overseas Bars and one Service Stripe. Mr. Nelsen worked as a builder and developer in Illinois for a number of years and later worked at Sams Club for 10 years. He moved to Dothan, from Hayward, Wis., in November 1986. He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Alice Bayuk and a brother, Curly Nelsen. Survivors include two daughters and sons-in-law, Francine and Nicholas Panczyk, Shaumburg, Ill., Debra and Dennis Brinkman, Crystal Lake, Ill.; three sons and daughters-in-law, William Charles and Suzanne Nelsen, Richardson, Texas, Steven Russell and Katherine Nelsen, Enterprise; James Patrick and Heidi Nelsen, Eagan, Minn.; sister, Doris Kirk, Racine, Wis.; brother, Bob Nielsen, Morganton, N.C.; 14 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren. Southern Heritage Funeral Home and Crematory, (334) 702-1712, is in charge of arrangements