Robert Lewis Nelson

Robert was born March 31, 1929 and passed away Nov. 30, 2014. He always had a joke and a carefree chuckle to ease any worries away. Smart and quick-witted, there really wasn't much he couldn't do. He was the most hard-working, honest man you could ever hope to meet.

He was a farmer, a woodworker, a handyman, a mill worker, and a part-time golfer. If you ever had a chance to play cards with him, you may have known him as "Lucky Lew," and if you ever spent time around their dinner table, you may have heard him called, Robert when one of his many jokes crossed the line. He was Dad to his children and their spouses and Grampy to all of his beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

But perhaps most famously, he was a husband to his beautiful bride, Juanita. Juanita and Lewie were married at the Hitching Post in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Feb. 19, 1949. They spent 65 years by each other's sides, partners for life.

Lewie is survived by his wife, Juanita, their children and spouses Janice and Lonnie Sanders, Daniel "Butch" and Gail Nelson, and Linda Snapp-Olsen and Paul Olsen, their seven grandchildren (Sheila and David Huckestein, Staci Sanders and her partner Linda Wallace, Heather and Martin Galloway, Ginger Joy, Angie Snapp, Heidi and Jamey Thompson, Ryan Nelson and his partner (Stephanie Reser), and their eight great-grandchildren (Grant and Tyler Huckestein, Maesyn Rose and Damean Galloway, Makenna Joy, Elyse and Bradley Thompson, and Rex Nelson). He is also survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Oscar "Bud" and Bonnie Nelson.

The family will be holding a memorial celebration at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to Horizon Hospice of Spokane or Alzheimer's Research Foundation.