John Andrew Nelson was born on June 14, 1930 in Weston, Idaho. He was the eighth of nine children born to Thora Emma Kofoed and Guy Henry Nelson. John grew up with 5 brothers and 3 sisters in a loving family. His younger brother, Guy Kofoed Nelson, is his only living sibling. When John was one year old, is family moved to Preston, Idaho for 2 years and then moved to Logan, Utah where he attended elementary, junior high, and high school. John loved Boy Scouts and earned the rank of Eagle at age 14. John was a very good student and graduated from Logan H.S. in 1948.
John was eager to earn a degree of some kind and decided to attend Branch Agricultural College in Cedar City, Utah for two years (emphasis in math and science). John was a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many teaching, ministering and leadership positions throughout his life. He served a full time mission in Sweden for 2 1/2 years. After his mission, he attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah for only one year before being accepted to dental school at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon. There he met his sweet wife, Dorine Hale, and were married June 24, 1957 in the Logan, Utah LDS temple for time and all eternity.
During John's senior year at dental school, he entered the Army Dental Corp. John graduated from dental school in 1958 with a D.M.D. degree. While serving in the army, John earned the rank of Captain and was stationed in Korea for one year.
John practiced family dentistry in Beaverton/Tigard Oregon where John and Dorine raised their 6 children together. He loved dentistry and his patients. He said," I love helping my patients feel better, look better and become more confident with a great smile! He was the President of the Oregon Society of Dentistry for Children for 3 years in the early 1970's . He provided orthodontic care for about 10 years. John retired from his practice in 1998.
In 2003 John and Dorine moved to Arizona for the sunshine and continued to work for 3 different dentists. He later ended his dental career in providing care for the men and women in the correctional facilities in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona for 4 years.
John and Dorine decided to return to Utah where they lived in Pleasant Grove and Orem until he passed away on October 24, 2018 peacefully in his sleep. John's last few years were difficult physically but he never lost his sense of humor, great optimism and cheerful attitude. He was a great example and friend to everyone he came in contact with.
John is survived by his sweet wife, Dorine and 6 children/spouses; Steve (Keri), Tammy (John) Payne, Debbie (Monty) Pierce, Sandy (Carlos) Assante, Mark (Kiran), and Cherstin Lyon; 25 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren (and more on the way!) Family was everything to John and "Grandpa John" was everything to his family! Until we meet again.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 3, 2018 at the Mount Mahogany Ward, 1541 North 1300 West, Pleasant Grove, Utah beginning at 11AM. A visitation will be held prior to services at the same location beginning at 9:30AM. Interment at Larkin Sunset Gardens Cemetery.
