John Winston Nelson

John Winston Nelson, of Lebanon, OH, was called to his eternal home on June 10, 2026, in Athens, Greece, after a brief battle with undiagnosed and aggressive prostate cancer. Born in Yakima, WA, on August 24, 1954, John grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, and was the youngest of four siblings. He was preceded in death by his parents John and Inez Nelson, brothers Bill and Jack Nelson and sister Marilyn Allen.

John was the beloved husband of Donna Nelson for the last 20 years. They cherished one another and their love was easy for all to see. In retirement, they enjoyed traveling—including their final vacation together to bask in sunshine on the beaches of Greece.

A guiding light and a cherished father, John is survived by his children Ahna (Joe) Nichols, Alicia (Robert) Cummings, and JJ (Sarah) Nelson, as well as his stepchildren Brooke (Kenny) Ellis and Justin (Shannon) Thompson. He leaves behind a beautiful legacy for his adored grandchildren: Aria Nichols, Thomas and Winston Cummings, Rawlin and Hannah Nelson, Chase and Haley Ellis, & Eve and Renee Thompson.

John was a faithful servant of God who loved the Lord with all of his heart and lived out his beliefs daily. John had a heart for worship and dedicated much of his life to his love of music as a choir director, vocalist, instrumentalist, and worship team member. Most recently, he was an active member of Hope Church in Mason, OH, and served on the worship and security teams.

John earned his bachelor’s degree from Anderson University in Indiana and went on to have a successful career in operations management spanning 40 years, including many years of dedicated service to the transportation industry working for J.B. Hunt Transport and Red Classic Transportation Services.

A skilled handyman, John was generous with his talents, always willing to help friends and family with home projects. He lived an active lifestyle, dedicating many hours a week to the pickleball courts and reaching his daily push-up goal. John had a wonderful sense of humor, bringing levity to any situation, and was always ready to tell his infamous “dad jokes” or newly discovered puns. John will be greatly missed and forever remembered as a gentle spirit, overflowing with love, kindness, and laughter. 

The Celebration of Life for John Nelson will be held at Hope Church on Saturday, July 18, with visitation at 11:30 a.m. and the service at 12:30 p.m. Hope Church is located at 4934 Western Row Rd, Mason, OH 45040. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the church’s Building Fund https://www.hopemason.org/.