Welcome to

William Jack Nelson

Mr. William Jack Nelson, 72, of Panama City, Fla., passed away Friday, Jan. 1, 2010, at his home surrounded by his loving family.

Jack, as he was known to all, was born Aug. 18, 1937, in Chandler County, Ga., to Mamie and Leo Nelson. After graduating from high school, he joined the United States Coast Guard and served from 1955 until 1959. It was during this time that he first traveled to Panama City, where he would eventually make his life-long home.

In 1959, Jack married Penelope Theresa Chaknis. Together they raised six children and welcomed 19 grandchildren. In 1973, after working as an electrician, he and his fellow colleagues started Ener-Dyne Inc., an electrical contracting firm that eventually would grow into Wireways Inc. In 1994, Wireways once again would be transformed into Tracer Electrical. Jack continued to work and travel with Tracer until he was diagnosed with liver cancer in December 2009.

Jack was preceded in death by his mother, Mamie Nelson; father, Leo Lender Nelson; brothers, Leo Nelson and Jimmy Nelson; and grandson, Nathan Alan Nelson.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Penelope Theresa Chaknis Nelson; sons, David Andrew Nelson and wife, Kathy, and their children, AnnaBeth, Rebekah and Savanna Nelson, and Patrick Alan Nelson and wife, Betsy, and their children, Kate, Garrett, Noah and Grace Nelson; daughters, Jennifer Marie Fenwick and husband, John, and children, Nichole and Emma Fenwick, Laura Ann McManus and husband, Jim, and son, Jack McManus, Catherine Mary Young and husband, Ed, and children, Matthew, Jacob, Morgan, Madeline, Makena, and Molly Young, and Sarah Teresa Derbes and husband, Dr. Thomas Derbes, and children, Thomas and Taylor Derbes brother, Robert Nelson; sister, Audrey Adcock; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services for Jack will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010, in the Southerland Family Funeral Home Chapel with interment to follow in Evergreen Memorial Gardens. The family will be receiving friends for two hours prior to the service from noon until 2 p.m. Tuesday.

For those who wish, donations can be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Association in memory of Jack.

Also, expressions of sympathy can be submitted and viewed at www. southerlandfamily.com.

Southerland Family Funeral Homes 100 E. 19th St. Panama City, Fla. 32405 850-785-8532

Published: January 4, 2010

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