Crash victim’s son to graduate from high school Sunday
The son of a Lincoln man who died in a motorcycle wreck Friday graduates from Norris High School on Sunday.
Dave Nelson, 47, lost control of his motorcycle on loose gravel Friday afternoon, and was thrown over a guard rail along Highway 75 near the south end of the Platte River bridge.
Nelson did not have a motorcycle endorsement on his operator's license.
His middle son, Garrett, a senior at Norris High School in Firth, is scheduled to graduate with the rest of his class Sunday. Garrett’s younger brother, Jack, is also a student in the Norris School District.
Nelson’s oldest son, Erik, just finished his sophomore year at Northwestern College in Minnesota, said Andrew Laflin, one of Erik’s friends from high school.
“They’re all staying together and just trying to cope,” Laflin said Saturday. “We’re all trying to be there for them.”
District administrators said Nelson and wife, Susan, have been very active in the schools for a long time.
“They’re always at activities,” Norris High principal John Skretta said. “Dave was an instrumental force in getting our district to adopt a baseball program.”
Garrett played third base for the school’s baseball team, and he was active in music at the school.
“They’re just a really decent family in every way,” Skretta said. “The timing of it is just sad.”
Skretta is a member of the district’s crisis team, which will work to assist classmates and teachers who knew Nelson.
“This is a close-knit community where, in times of crisis, people rise up and support one another with everything they’ve got,” Skretta said.
Services for Nelson are Wednesday at 10 a.m. in Lincoln Berean Church, 6400 S. 70th St. Visitation is from 4 to 9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at Roper and Sons Funeral Home, 4300 O St.
The Nelson family is very active in church, both Skretta and Laflin said.
“Their faith is a huge thing that’s getting them through this,” Laflin said. “They are a family with just huge hearts.
“They’ve always been there for each one of us. To me, Susan was like a second mom and Dave was like a second dad.”
Reach Zach Pluhacek at 473-7306 or zpluhacek@journalstar.com.
Dave Nelson, 47, lost control of his motorcycle on loose gravel Friday afternoon, and was thrown over a guard rail along Highway 75 near the south end of the Platte River bridge.
Nelson did not have a motorcycle endorsement on his operator's license.
His middle son, Garrett, a senior at Norris High School in Firth, is scheduled to graduate with the rest of his class Sunday. Garrett’s younger brother, Jack, is also a student in the Norris School District.
Nelson’s oldest son, Erik, just finished his sophomore year at Northwestern College in Minnesota, said Andrew Laflin, one of Erik’s friends from high school.
“They’re all staying together and just trying to cope,” Laflin said Saturday. “We’re all trying to be there for them.”
District administrators said Nelson and wife, Susan, have been very active in the schools for a long time.
“They’re always at activities,” Norris High principal John Skretta said. “Dave was an instrumental force in getting our district to adopt a baseball program.”
Garrett played third base for the school’s baseball team, and he was active in music at the school.
“They’re just a really decent family in every way,” Skretta said. “The timing of it is just sad.”
Skretta is a member of the district’s crisis team, which will work to assist classmates and teachers who knew Nelson.
“This is a close-knit community where, in times of crisis, people rise up and support one another with everything they’ve got,” Skretta said.
Services for Nelson are Wednesday at 10 a.m. in Lincoln Berean Church, 6400 S. 70th St. Visitation is from 4 to 9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at Roper and Sons Funeral Home, 4300 O St.
The Nelson family is very active in church, both Skretta and Laflin said.
“Their faith is a huge thing that’s getting them through this,” Laflin said. “They are a family with just huge hearts.
“They’ve always been there for each one of us. To me, Susan was like a second mom and Dave was like a second dad.”
Reach Zach Pluhacek at 473-7306 or zpluhacek@journalstar.com.
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