11/4/1935 – 12/28/2025
Lawrence
Dr. Richard Elliott Nelson, 89, of Lawrence, Kansas, passed away Sunday, December 28, 2025, at the University of Kansas Medical Center, surrounded by his loving family.
Richard was born November 4, 1936, in Wichita, Kansas, the son of Roy and Blanche (Silver) Nelson. He graduated from Lindsborg High School in 1954 and went on to attend Emporia State University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in education in 1958 and his master’s degree in 1961.
He began his career in education at Tonovay High School and later served as a guidance counselor at Towanda High School. Richard then worked as a guidance counselor and principal at Hutchinson Junior High School before moving to Hutchinson High School as a counselor. He later accepted a position with the Kansas State Department of Education in Topeka. In 1975, he earned his Ph.D. from University of Missouri in Columbia, and shortly thereafter the family moved to Lawrence, Kansas, where Richard joined the University of Kansas School of Education. He retired in 2007 after a long and distinguished career dedicated to students and educators.
Richard was a longtime member of First United Methodist Church.
On September 1, 1957, he married Barbara Ann Johnson in Salina, Kansas. She survives. Additional survivors include their children, Jeff Nelson, J.D. Nelson, and Jody Miller; grandchildren, Taite Nelson, Kelsey Nelson-Gotche (Adam), Logan Miller, Kinsey Nelson, Kaylin Nelson, Kaleb Nelson, and Caitlin Matthews; and great-grandchildren, Lilah Nelson, Collins Gotche, Kyler Gotche, and Elliott Nelson.
He was preceded in death by his parents; siblings JoAnne Nelson, Edward Nelson, Eula Johnson, Robert Nelson, and Muriel Strange; and grandson Tyler Miller.
Richard was very proud of his Swedish heritage and held a deep love for Lindsborg, Kansas. He enjoyed fishing and camping, golf, photography, and cheering on KU basketball. Most of all, he cherished time spent with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
A memorial service honoring Richard’s life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, January 2, 2026, at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home. Burial of the urn will take place at Pioneer Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Lindsborg Old Mill and Swedish Heritage Museum, 120 E. Mill Street, Lindsborg, KS 67456, or online at www.oldmillmuseum.org/donations/. To leave a message for Richard’s family, please visit www.Rumsey-Yost.com.
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