November 21, 1937 – March 21, 2021
Willard Gregory “Greg” Nelson, 83, of Kuna passed away due to heart failure at his home, in the arms of his daughter, Sunday, March 21, 2021. He decided on that bright sunny second day of Spring that he wanted to take his spirit to magical places where he could feel warm breezes, feel the surf lapping at his feet, and be reunited with his mother, father, and sister who will be there with him on his journey. Like almost everything in his life, he passed on his own terms.
Greg was born in Lewiston, Idaho on November 21, 1937, but spent most of his growing-up years in Montana with his mother, Eva Mae (Boyer) Nelson, and father, Donald William Nelson, along with his sisters, Shirley and Dawna.
After settling in Kuna following his discharge from the US Army, on April 3, 1965 he married Mary Ann Eklund. From that union he was blessed with a daughter, Elizabeth Ann, and a son, John Gregory. While his professional career took him away from home a lot, he was a very dedicated father and family man.
It has been said: “Fathers are God’s favorite people. He gives them children to love as only a father can love. Then He gives special blessings because He knows how hard being a father can be.”
When Greg moved to Kuna, Idaho he found the community where he belonged. He made many life-long friends and became a proud and involved Kaveman! He and his friend Don Young established the Kuna Youth Baseball program, creating decades of enjoyment for the whole community. Always a fan, he watched his own kids and grandson play, rarely missing a game.
He and his family had great adventures, enjoying all Idaho has to offer her residents. We enjoyed scenic drives, hunting for rocks, and picnics. Thankfully, only one outing included a S-N-A-K-E! He was very creative with a special flair for storytelling (some more factual than others), as well as drawing and painting. He was a very good cook, messy but he made tasty things! He was an excellent writer. His handwriting was challenging but the content was good. If provoked, he could produce a poison pen letter with a lot of sting.
Gardening was a life-long passion! He had contests with his friends to see who could grow the biggest watermelon and cantaloupe. Summer was dedicated to growing, weeding, picking, and preserving nearly every fruit and vegetable available! His children learned that picking tomato worms is a worthy form of punishment.
Greg wasn’t a pushover. He had high expectations for his kids and for himself! He demanded that we were respectful, displayed good manners and would always do our best. Few things were worse than the look on his face if he was angry or disappointed. He was also insightful and wise, the loving patriarch from whom we sought counsel. He had the best laugh!
The joy of fatherhood was only surpassed by being a grandpa and a great-grandpa. He and his grandson, Andrew, had a special bond, one created by time and proximity. They were best friends! Time spent with his granddaughters was cherished in a deep and meaningful way.
Education was a highly regarded value in his family. Being raised by overachieving parents, it was a given that Greg would go to college and become a doctor. He received his Bachelor of Science in Pre-medicine from Montana State University in 1959, and his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Washington State University in 1961. He was licensed to practice veterinary medicine in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.
Upon graduation from vet school Greg enlisted in the United States Army Veterinary Corp as a 1st Lieutenant and was promoted to Captain after his time in Viet Nam. He was sent there as an advisor to establish a sentry dog training program for the Viet Nam Army. Following his return to the States, he was the veterinarian in charge at Fort Meyer, Virginia. He was responsible for the health and well-being of the Army’s ceremonial horses. Among those horses was Jacqueline Kennedy’s horse, Sadar, a gift from the president of Pakistan and Carolyn Kennedy’s pony, Macaroni.
Later on, Greg joined the Idaho National Guard, serving as a lieutenant colonel from 1979 to 1988 as a colonel from 1988 to 1997. A Legion of Merit recipient from the Idaho National Guard, Greg was promoted to the rank of a brigadier general upon his retirement from the Idaho Army National Guard in 1997.
Greg was currently retired after an incredible career, both as a veterinarian and a public servant. He had served as the director of public affairs for the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation. He worked as the director of the Idaho State Department of Agriculture in Boise, Idaho, and was the state veterinarian for the Idaho Division of Animal Industries. Earlier in his career, he held the position of the chief of the Idaho Bureau of Animal Health, having progressed from the role of the assistant chief. Greg began his career as a private practice veterinarian in Kuna, Idaho from 1963 to 1966.
In order to remain aware of developments in his field, Greg maintained affiliations with numerous professional organizations including the American Veterinary Medical Association, the United States Animal Health Association, the Western States Livestock Association, and the Idaho Veterinary Medical Association. He was the Idaho Veterinarian of the Year in 1989 and was recognized for his achievements with an Outstanding Service award from Washington State University in 2001. In 2019 Greg was designated with the distinguished Executive Spotlight Award from Marquis Who’s Who Vol. II, (2019).
Outside of his professional path, Greg was a dedicated civil servant. He served the city of Kuna as a councilman from 1964 to 1968 and as the mayor from 1984 to 2004 then again from 2011 until 2015. He was a past Kuna School Board member, and held memberships in the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Kuna Historical society, and was a charter member of the Kuna Lions Club, just to name a few organizations.
Like his father, Greg had always wanted to own a restaurant. After he “retired” he spent many months and an immense amount of energy trying to figure out a plan, he decided to go for it. The Creekside Restaurant and Bar was the fruition of that dream.
Greg is survived by his daughter, Liz Nelson and her son Andrew; his son John Nelson and his daughters, Brianna and Elizabeth; his great-grandchildren, Asilus and Elora; his sister and brother-in-law; Dawna & Dave Sanford; two nieces and one nephew along with their children; many cousins; and his former spouse, Ann Nelson.
We will all miss him at our family gatherings as he was the glue that helped keep us all together. He will be cherished for his laughter, his stories, his values and moral ethics, his understanding, his intelligence, but most of all his love.