Kent Severin Nelson, 80, of Pittsford, NY passed away on November 28, 2022.
Kent was born on April 13, 1942 to Virgil Severin Nelson and Rebecca “Ellen” (Fouts) Nelson in Denison, Iowa. A polio survivor, he graduated from Denison High School in 1960, then attended Iowa State University, graduating with a degree in Industrial Administration in 1965. He attended Navy Officer Candidate School and served as a Lieutenant on the USS Alfred A. Cunningham from 1966-1969, visiting various ports of call in Southeast Asia, with a stint off the coast of Vietnam. After an honorable discharge from the military, he attended UCLA and earned a Masters Degree in Accounting and Information Systems in 1971. Kent was active in many community organizations, including the Special Olympics, Far West Ski Association, and the Junior Chamber of Commerce to name a few. He was an avid runner and skier and earned numerous awards and prizes in amateur downhill events.
He started his career in public accounting at Arthur Anderson in Los Angeles and later worked for 20th Century Fox and Kerr Glass.
Kent joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1976 and met Diane Louise Benedict in their local congregation in Santa Monica, California. They were married February 29, 1980, in the church’s Los Angeles California Temple. Their first son, Severin was born in 1983, followed by Trevor in 1985. In 1987, after working on the initial public offering for MDT Biologic Company, he was given an opportunity to move to upstate New York where he served on the board of organizations such as his neighborhood homeowner association, Toastmasters International, and The Hill Cumorah Pageant. Their third son, Cameron, was born the next year. A lifelong lover of choral music, Kent sang with the Iowa State Singers, Eastman-Rochester Chorale, and numerous church choirs. He ended his professional career as the CFO of Pooler Enterprises, retiring in April 2012. He then filled his days researching family history, serving in the community, traveling with old friends, and spending time with his loved ones.
Though his professional achievements were admirable, his greatest accomplishments were in the home. Kent was a tender, compassionate, and patient father. He often spent his weekends in one-on-one activities with each of his sons. He taught his children the importance of financial literacy and community service by example, including them in opportunities to work in soup kitchens, food drives, and the like. A boy scout himself, Kent was actively involved in the organization – assisting with campouts, popcorn sales, and high adventure trips. As a husband, he never shied away from a chance to help his wife, even after a long day at the office. His legacy of unselfish service and quiet dedication will be remembered by all who knew him.
Kent was predeceased by his mother, Ellen, and his father, Virgil. He is survived by his wife, Diane (Benedict) Nelson; sons: Severin (Lissa) Nelson of New York, NY; Trevor (Jessica) Nelson of Union, KY; and Cameron (Rebecca) Nelson of Detroit, MI; his nine grandchildren; sister Janna (John) Rice of Des Moines, IA; several cousins; nieces; and nephews. Calling hours will be from 6-8 PM, Friday, December 2nd, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 460 Kreag Road in Pittsford. There will be a visitation Saturday morning at 10 AM followed by the funeral service at 11 AM at the church. Kent will be laid to rest alongside his parents in Denison, IA in the upcoming weeks.
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10 responses to “Nelson, Kent Severin”
A very fine man. Fortunate to have called him friend.
The entire TNT Toastmasters club is so sorry to hear of Kent’s passing! He was a loyal and involved member for many years. I also considered him a loyal and fun friend! Good-bye, Kent. We’ll meet on the other side.
Hi Nelson Family,
Brother Nelson was a fixture of our ward and a constant, kind person in my life. I am so sorry for your loss. He will be missed.
Dear Nelson family,
I am so sorry to hear that Kent has passed away. Please accept my most heartfelt condolences on your loss. He will be dearly missed.
Dear Diane and family, sending my deepest condolences at the passing of Kent. When I think of him, I think of him always smiling…and singing! My fondest memories are being in that special temple dedication choir with Kent and Severin. We would drive to rehearsals together and always enjoyed each other’s company. Singing in the Palmyra Temple that day was an exceptional experience, memorable for a lifetime, and we were amongst that small group who performed for the dedications right behind President Hinckley. I’m thankful for those memories of Kent. Sending you my love.
Dear Diane , Severin, Trevor, and Cameron – Diane and I are so deeply saddened to learn of Kent’s passing. When I think of Kent, I picture his affable smile, I picture his joy in singing, and I can almost feel his calm, steady, and infinitely dependable manner. Always insightful, I learned so very much from him as we served side-by-side in so many circumstances. I can think of no better description than to say he was a good, good father, a good, good husband, a good, good friend – a good, good, good man. May the Lord bless you all with peace and comfort in the days and weeks ahead. We love you. — Andy
Although I’ve never met Mr. Kent Nelson before or known him personally, I’ve had the pleasure of being a close colleague of his son, Severin Nelson.
Without meeting or knowing Mr. Kent, I can tell based off how he raised his children that he was a great man. Mr, Kent Nelson (along with Mrs. Nelson of course) raised a great son that is truly one of the most generous and caring people I know. Severin’s exemplary actions can only be a reflection of his parents. I wholeheartedly believe that Mr. Kent’s beautiful legacy will continue to live on through his loving family, children, and grandchildren.
Aunt Diane, Severin, Trevor, and Cameron—how saddened I am that Uncle Kent has passed, but how thankful I am to know we will meet again. He was my favorite uncle—always kind, gentle, generous, intelligent, and funny. My favorite memories of Uncle Kent are picking blackberries for cobbler, making sardine quesadillas, visiting Niagra Falls, playing Mish Mash?, and having insightful conversations with him. I wish I could be there with you to celebrate his life. What a beautiful life he lived. I pray you will find comfort in your own memories, and feel the Lord’s peace and strength as you navigate through your grief. My love to you all.
Nelson Family,
We are so sorry to hear of Kents passing. We are grateful we had the opportunity to spend time with you both during our last visit to New York. It is very clear how loved and admired he was and how much he will be missed. We pray that God will comfort your hearts and fill your souls with love and peace. Sara & Patrick
Diane, I am late at posting something here because it has just been hard. Elder Nelson was one of the kindest, gentlest people I have ever had the honor of serving with. When Sister Korsgaard took over as his Team Lead, I would still ask her how he was doing because I missed him! He was most definitely a blessing to his mission and to the hundreds of thousands (or more) families he has helped because of it. He knew the importance of family, not just here but eternal families. He really paid attention to the records he was working on and followed how the project he would be working on at any particular time was progressing. He had a wonderful sense of humor too. I loved him as a brother. I have seen the passage of several missionaries since I have been serving, but I just miss him as a person and a friend! I know he is still serving the Lord, as a missionary, where he is now and maybe has even gotten to met some of those people whom he helped. He IS a special person. I have talked in the past tense, but really, it is just about the time away from him that all of us will miss, because he is still there and busy I bet. I just miss his presence a lot, for now. Til we meet again dear Elder Nelson and thank you Sister Nelson for sharing such a special man with us. <3