Lieutenant Colonel Franz E. Nelson, U.S.a.F., Retired

Lieutenant Colonel Franz E. Nelsson, U.S.A.F., Retired, 79, of Kountze, died Saturday, February 25, 2017, at Liberty Health Care Center. He was born on July 9, 1937, in Tacoma, Washington, to Rose Brooks Nelsson and Theodore Nelsson, and had been a longtime resident of the area. Franz was a Lieutenant Colonel with the United States Air Force, retiring after serving his country for twenty-eight years.

Survivors include his wife, Lynn Nelsson, of Kountze; daughter, Deborah Fox and her husband, Steve, of Beaumont; stepsons, Shelby Luke, Jr. and his wife, Nancy, of Sweeney; Gary Luke and his wife, Angela, of Nederland; and Kevin Luke, Sr., of Beaumont; fourteen grandchildren; twenty-two great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

Franz is preceded in death by his great-grandson, Mahlon Hardt.

A gathering of Lieutenant Colonel Nelsson’s family and friends will be from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m., Sunday, March 5, 2017, at Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont. His funeral service will be 2:00 p.m., Monday, March 6, 2017, at Broussard’s, with his interment to follow with military honors at Magnolia Cemetery, Beaumont.

Memorial contributions may be made to American Cancer Society, #4 Bayou Brandt, Suite B, Beaumont, Texas 77704.