Glenn Nelson

Glenn Edward Nelson, 76, of Idaho Falls, passed away February 22, 2025, at his home. He was under the care of his loving friends, family, and Alliance Home Health and Hospice.

Glenn was born on December 3, 1948 in Mobile, Alabama, to Arnold Olaf Nelson and Willie Mae Davidson Nelson. He spent his childhood and teenage years in Mobile, making many memories with his family and friends and developing an avid interest in photography. Even at a young age, Glenn was fascinated by engineering and science, and he received his HAM radio license at the age of 12.

After graduating from Murphy High School in Mobile, Glenn completed his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at Auburn University. He went on to receive his master’s degree in nuclear chemistry at Georgia Tech, where he was acknowledged by the faculty as one of the program’s brightest and most promising students. While working on his degree at Georgia Tech, he interned at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabaman, and took part in cutting-edge, and sometimes personally dangerous, research. He also was introduced to spelunking during this time, and, in later years, he would laughingly recall a number of cave stories, most of them involving profuse amounts of bats. To help support himself during grad school, Glenn maintained a side job as a wedding photographer and built up a very successful side business.

Following graduation, Glenn served as a First Lieutenant in the Air Force and received many awards, including the (AFRPL) Outstanding Junior Officer of the year and AFSC Certificate Merit for Presentations.

On October 11,1975, Glenn married Carol Louise Blessing in Lancaster, California. The family made their home in Idaho Falls, Idaho, when Glenn started work as a chemical engineer for the US Department of Energy. He stayed in this job until he retired. Glenn and Carol raised three sons and a daughter throughout their marriage. They divorced in 1995 but continued to co-parent their children well into their adulthood.

Glenn was a member of the Baptist and Pentecostal Church. He enjoyed reading, gardening, and photography, and, ever the engineer, he cultivated and maintained an avid knowledge on a large variety of subjects. What many friends and family will remember most about him, however, was his wonderful sense of humor. Even in the throes of cancer, he found ways to laugh, and his emails and letters — peppered with numerous witty comments — were always a delight to read. In his final years, Glenn especially loved his dogs, and he would comment that their unconditional love was like the love of angels. Glenn had several close friends whom he considered family. Their love and friendship meant the world to him, and many were with him until the end. He spoke fondly of his prayer breakfast that he attended weekly for a long time.

Glenn is survived by his sons, William (Stephanie) Potts of Tucson, AZ, Michael Nelson of Idaho Falls, ID, and Jonathan (Kristi) Nelson of Idaho Falls, ID; and 8 grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Arnold and Willie Nelson; brother, Gary Nelson; sister, Evelyn Kernachan; and his beloved daughter, Christianne Joy “CJ” Nelson.

Services are not being held at this time, though there will be a celebration of life with family and friends later.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.woodfuneralhome.com or privately at GNMemories@proton.me.