Roy F. ‘Pete’ Nelson

Roy passed away on Nov. 19, 2016, in Butte. He was born on Sept. 16, 1936, in Plentywood, to Roy O. and Edna E. Nelson. Roy graduated as the salutatorian of the class of 1954 at Plentywood High School. Following high school, he attended the University of Montana, graduating in business. During his college years, he was a member of the Sigma Nu Fraternity and served as the chapter's treasurer. Upon graduating in December 1958, Roy moved to Billings to begin working at Security Bank. Roy was able to utilize his math skills at the bank when presented the opportunity to program one of the first mainframe computers in Montana. In August 1959, Roy met the love of his life, Kaye Lynn Staiger, of Laurel on a blind date. They were married a few months later on Dec. 29, 1959.

When first married, Roy was a member of the National Guard and spent many weekends training and serving away from his young family. His daughter remembers going to pick him up at the armory in Billings while he was still in uniform. In 1976, Roy left banking to begin a second career as a CPA. After working for a local firm, he started his own practice with Don Allen and Ron Deming. Roy eventually sold his practice to Summers McNea and retired fully in 2010.

Roy enjoyed many activities. His fondness for Plentywood led to many family trips to visit the family farm in Outlook. Many family road trip vacations were an offshoot of the years he had spent driving back and forth (at lightning speed) from college in Missoula for weekends or holidays in Plentywood. He loved to work outside in his yard, and tend to his roses and lawn. Woodworking became one of his interests and he made rocking horses and toy boxes for his grandchildren, passing this interest and talent onto his grandson, who will now make good use of his Shopsmith. Roy loved it when his granddaughter joined the family and spent many years finding coins behind her ears to give to her. He delighted in getting rolls of Sacajawea coins at the bank and not only giving these to his grandkids when they came to visit, but leaving the coins for tips at restaurants so he could watch and see if the wait staff would realize what they were.

In 2014, after his wife Kaye passed away, Roy moved to Butte and lived at Big Sky Senior Living. He enjoyed living so close to Erik and his family during that time. He developed many friendships with the residents and staff and enjoyed his daily walk around the facility. Roy also developed many friendships at the Aldersgate Methodist Church in Butte.

Roy was a member of Exchange Club and also a member of Masons, Scottish Rite and Shrine. As a member of the Billings Al Bedoo chapter, he especially enjoyed being a Shrine Clown. He developed many fond memories of driving the train at the fair in Billings every year and walking in parades.

Roy is preceded in death by his wife, Kaye; his parents; and his sister, Marjorie Nelson. He is survived by his two children, Dana Machain Bennett (David) of Griswold, Conn., and Erik Nelson (Kathleen) of Butte; and grandchildren Andrew Machain and his wife Katie of Missoula and Molly Nelson of Butte. Roy was also blessed with two great-grandchildren, Asher Ryan and Liam Roy Machain of Missoula. Survivors also include sister-in-law Karen Angello (Antonio) of Allentown, Pa.; and a sister, Peggy Beadle (Dan) of Billings and their son, Scott.

A special thank you goes to the staff at St. James Hospital and Copper Ridge Health and Rehabilitation for providing Dad with such excellent care.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary, 1001 Alderson Ave., Billings, with graveside service to follow at Yellowstone Valley Memorial Park. Visitation will be held prior to services at 9 a.m. Saturday.

Memorials may be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children; the local Al Bedoo chapter; Word of Life Fellowship, Billings; or Aldersgate Methodist Church, Butte.