A funeral for Billy Knox Nelson, 85, of Chickasha, will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday 20, 2024 in the Bible Baptist Church with Brother Gary Layman officiating.
Billy Knox Nelson was born May 17, 1938 in his parents’ home in Amber, Oklahoma, the son of Ezell Pike Nelson and Clarice Gladys (Abbott) Nelson. He passed from this life on Saturday, March 16, 2024 in Tuttle, Oklahoma surrounded by his family.
Bill attended Amber School and graduated from Amber High School in 1956. In 1961, while attending Oklahoma State University he spent six months active duty in the Marines. Bill returned to OSU and graduated in 1962 with a degree in agronomy. He served as a Marine Reserve from 1961 until 1966. After college, Bill worked for Kerr- McGee in Durant and then in 1965, he was transferred to Chanute, Kansas to run a fertilizer plant. He was later hired by Chanute Grain and Seed.
On October 1, 1966, he married Lynita Swiler, with whom he shared fifty-seven wonderful years of marriage. During these years, four children were born whom he dearly loved. In 1975, he came back to Chickasha to live and to farm in Chickasha and later he and his brother Don started Chickasha Sod and Grass Farm. Bill served on the Amber-Pocasset School Board for fifteen years. He loved serving the Lord and talking scripture with many. Bill was a member of the New Life Christian Church where he served as an elder for many years. Bill never met a stranger. He always had a big smile on his face and a wave if you met him on the road.
Bill is preceded in death by both of his parents, Ezell and Gladys Nelson; daughter, Anitra Nelson; granddaughter, Autumn Grace Nelson; brother, Abbott Nelson; brother, Don Nelson and brother-in-law, Jerry Potter.
Love ones left to remember Bill are his wife, Lynita of the home; daughter and son-in-law, David and Kami Ratcliff of Amber; sons and daughters-in-law, Ezell and Jessica Nelson of Chickasha and Oscar and Bergundy Nelson of Chickasha; grandchildren; Keely and Nathan Ratcliff, Georgia and Coralei Nelson, Ollie and Bearton Nelson; step grandchildren RayLee Gibson and Chance Johnson; sister, Ezell Potter of Bartlesville; brothers and sisters-in-law Jack and Susie Nelson of Bryan, Texas; John and Charlotte Nelson of Chickasha; brothers-in-law and sister-in-law, David and Carolyn Swiler of Harlington, Texas and Kenneth Swiler of Chanute, Kansas; sister-in-law, Judy Nelson of Chickasha, and a host of family and friends.
Viewing will be Tuesday, March 19 th at Ferguson Funeral Home from 1:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., the family will receive friends from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to New Life Christian Church Building Fund in care of New Life Christian Church, 1828 South 13th Street, Chickasha, Oklahoma 73018 or Cookson Hills Christian School 60416 OK-10, Kansas, Oklahoma 74347.
A private interment will be in Amber Cemetery prior to the funeral under the direction of Ferguson Funeral Home.