Martin C. Nelsen, 94; of Lysander died Wednesday, July 27th, 2011 at home.
Born in Brooklyn, he resided most of his life on Long Island before moving to central New York in 1989.
The youngest of nine brothers, Mr. Nelsen joined the Civilian Conservation Corps after high school, then became a State Trooper prior to entering military service. He served with the U.S. Army during World War II and saw action in the Battle of the Bulge, receiving the Silver Star as well as other military honors.
After the war, he established a landscaping business and garden center on Long Island, and then sold that business in 1966 to focus on real-estate development, first on Long Island and later in central New York and elsewhere.
A life-long communicant of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, Mr. Nelsen served in various lay-leadership capacities. He was also an accomplished singer, and participated in music ministries as well as appearing in operatic and other musical venues.
Mr. Nelsen is survived by his wife of 67 years, Mildred Tanck Nelsen of Lysander; a son, Christian of Fulton; daughters Nancy (Ronald) Caravan of Phoenix, and Virginia (Gary) Ettlemyer of Glen Gardner, NJ; five grandchildren, Michael (Annelies) Ettlemyer of Port Chester, NY, Michelle (Herbert) Stockschlaeder of Eden, NY, Martin (Frances) Ettlemyer of Lexington, SC, Adrienne Caravan (Joseph) Gabalski of Manassas, VA, and Lisa Caravan of Auburn, AL; and nine great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held 9:00 AM Saturday at the Trinity Lutheran Church, 140 Swansea Drive (off N. Teall Ave.) Syracuse. Burial will be in Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Calling hours will be Friday 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. at the Sugar Funeral Home Inc. 224 West Second S, Fulton. 2nd St. S. Fulton.
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