John D. “Desi” Nelson, 71, died March 27, 2015, at his home in Phoenix with his children at his side.

During World War II, Desi was born in Adelaide, Australia, on April 30, 1943, to Helen and Charles Nelson. In 1945, at the end of the war, his mother brought Desi and his sister Maxine by boat from Australia to the U.S. and went on to live in Whitefish were their dad lived. Des was a Whitefish boy from then on, attending school through high school and working for the railroad in Whitefish and Missoula.

In 1967, Desi served honorably in the U.S. Army with a year tour of duty in Vietnam and was honorably discharged in 1968. He would later receive a full medical disability for his military service.

After his military service, Desi traveled the world, going back to his birth place in Australia and continuing to travel through Asia, ending up in Munich, Germany, where he met and married Eileen Lewendowski. Eventually they would move back to Missoula were Desi worked for Burlington Northern and Montana Rail Link. 

Desi and Eileen had their first child, Angie, in July of 1977, and a son, Michael, in 1981, and raised their two children in Lolo. Eileen and Desi divorced in 1994.

He retired medically from the railroad in 1995.

Desi remarried in 1996 to Bonnie Stickney. They then moved to Phoenix where he enjoyed the desert sun until his passing.

Desi will be remembered by his family and friends for his charm and devious wit. His love of sports and his great company when it was time to party.

He is survived by his wife Bonnie, grandchildren Bella and William, his loving children Michael and Angie Nelson, and his mother Helen, all living in Phoenix; his sister, Georgia, and Lew McCready, of Whitefish; brother, Chuck Nelson, and wife, Mary Zartman, of Bozeman; sister, Michelle, and Tom Peterson, of Bainbridge Island, Washington.; his wonderful nieces and nephews that he loved so much, Frank Lamb, Darin Lamb, Trena Boyd, Travis Broussou, Stephen and Bryan Peterson; and many relatives in Australia. 

He was preceded in death by his father, Charles, and sister, Maxine Lamb.

We hope Desi has reunited with his dad whom he always missed throughout his life.

A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. July 31 at the Whitefish Cemetery, with a celebration of his life to follow at the VFW in Whitefish.

If you would like to make donations in Des’ name, please make them at your local VA or hospice center.