Viewing will be 4 - 8 PM Wednesday and Thursday

Services will be 2:00 PM Friday February 10 at The Bridge Church 1116 W. Highway 152 Mustang, OK 73064.

Ivan, age 95, was reunited in Heaven with the love of his life Mary Ruth (Allen) Nelson on February 3, 2017. He was born to Frank I. and Mattie Mae (Prater) Nelson on March 17, 1921 in Bowie, Texas. The family migrated to Little Rock, Arkansas where his brother Jack was born on October 13, 1922. From there they migrated to Memphis, Tennessee; Alabama, & to Oklahoma City in 1927. Ivan attended Washington, Willard, Heronville, and Lee Elementary Schools. He attended Capitol Hill Junior High School and graduated from Capitol Hill High School in 1939. Ivan served in the United States Army Air Force from 1942 until 1946 during World War II. Upon separation from military service, he went to work at Tinker Air Force Base in the Maintenance Directorate. During that time he met Mary Ruth Allen and they were married in July 1948. Ivan was recalled to military service in 1951 during the Korean War. He served in the Sixth Bombardment Wing at Walker Air Force Base in Roswell, New Mexico. Upon separation from military service in 1952 he returned to Flight Test at Tinker Air Force Base. Shortly thereafter in March 1953 he transferred to the Logistics Management Directorate and served there until his retirement in 1977.

Ivan was preceded in death by:
• his parents, Frank & Mattie Nelson;
• his brother Jack, a P51 Fighter Pilot who has been MIA since June 1, 1945 while on a mission from Iwo Jima to Japan;
• and his wife of 57 years, Mary Ruth.

Ivan is survived by:
• his son Keith & four grandchildren: Kaitlin, Averie, Reggie, and Gabe;
• his son & daughter-in-law Kenneth & Glenda and two grandsons: Glen and Michael;
• and his niece Karen who was like a daughter to him.