Thomas Clare Nelson

In Loving Memory of a Very Special Man

Thomas Clare Nelson

Oct. 6, 1959 — Oct. 29, 2021

Thomas “Tom” Clare Nelson was born on Oct. 6, 1959, in Standesamt Wurzburg, Germany, to Clare and Donna Nelson. Tom grew up in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Tom and Renee were married on Aug. 16, 2003, in Billings. Tom worked for Fabral, and now Metal Sales, where he was a Territorial Manger for the State of Montana and Wyoming, for over 25 years. Tom was also the Mayor of Laurel since 2018. He loved the community and wanted to make the city better.

Tom loved to hunt, fish, camp and just be outdoors. He was also known for smoking his ribs, which were the best. He also made his own recipes for homemade brats, summer sausage, pepper sticks out of the deer or elk he had gotten hunting.

He loved his four dogs: Shelby, Maggie and Chole, and the fourth is Sammie Jo, which is a guard cat who she thought she was a dog.

Survivors are his wife, Renee; his parents, Clare and Donna Nelson; brother Don Nelson (Bobbie); sister Marvie Jensen; son Daniel Nelson, Dyllan Ausburn (Ashley); stepson Josh Poehls (Kari); stepdaughter Stephanie Boyd (Mikel); also, Teresa Sandvig (Eric); grandchildren, Easton Poehls, Makayla and Connor Sandvig, and Ayden Ausburn. To his grandchildren, he was known as Papa Tom. He also had numerous nieces and nephews.

He was in preceded in death by his grandparents Nelson and grandparents Theis; and his father-in-law Gilbert Fieck.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to St. Jude or Wounded Warrior Project.

Memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 5, at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary, 1001 Alderson Ave.