James Nelson

James A. Nelson, age 89, of Erie, passed away on Tuesday, June 13, 2017 at Manchester Commons.

He was born in Seattle, Washington on June 24, 1927, the son of the late William and Violet Nelson.  He has been a resident of Millcreek since 1961.

During World War II, he served in the U.S. Merchant Marines in both the Pacific and Atlantic Theater of Operations serving in the engine room and as a deck engineer on several ships.

He transferred to Erie as a manager for the Electrolux Corporation until 1964, when he founded Janitor Jim, an industrial janitorial service business which he sold in 1972.  In 1978, he started Tax Break Services, a business accounting and income tax preparation service and in 1989, he established Window Cleaning by Jim, a window cleaning service.  In 1947 he was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, was a member of the Asbury Woods Congregation and has participated, over the years, in the door to door ministry.

Along with his parents he was preceded in death by many members of his family.

Survivors include his wife, Betty Lois Stafford Nelson, five children: Michael Thomas Nelson of Redwood City, California, David Paul Nelson of Albion, PA, Kimberly Ann Nelson Niergarth of Union City, Kentucky, Daniel Jensen from San Jose California and Rebecca Baker of Fremont California and to date, five grandchildren: John Michael Nelson, Sean Alan Nelson, James Robert Nelson, Kristine Niergarth and Brian Niergarth, along with five great-grandchildren, Aiden, Eva, and Oliver Jacob Nelson, Leela Niergarth and Alexander Rico-Alarcon.

Friends may call at the Burton Westlake Funeral Home, 3801 West 26^th Street, (at Powell Avenue,) on Sunday from 2 p.m. until the time of service there at 4:30 p.m. with Daniel Banach speaking.