Brian Keith Nelson

Lt. Brian Keith Nelson, 48, of Cairo, Illinois, in the blink of an eye, transitioned from this side on Saturday, May 1st, 2021. Brian struggled with diabetes: which caused kidney failure leading to his surpass, congestive heart failure.  He “fought a good fight.”

He was born July 28, 1972 to the late Joe Nelson and Geraldine (Carlton) Nelson.  Brian attended Cairo High School. He was blessed to be part of the infamous Class of 1990, truly a one of a kind class. They love having fun. They are ALL notorious for speaking their mind, and they do it with fidelity. They could tell you their “matter of fact” opinion and love you all in the next sentence. Nothing was personal. He loved his classmates and they loved him. Brian was a member of the 1989 Illinois State track team; an all-Southern Illinois long jumper, and he attained  9 ^th place in the state long jump.  Brian was a four-year starter for the high school basketball team. Even in his 40’s he could launch a three pointer from anywhere on the court, ask “Ork”, Larue, Yank, Isaiah and Malachi.

Brian was a man with a plan.  His plan started at the age of three. It was evident that he would be a construction worker. One time he stood on the oven door, grabbed some used fish grease and mixed it with coffee grinds. He poured the concoction into our mom’s pot of freshly cooked greens; a chef. On another occasion, he took his sister's transistor radio battery casing off.   He then took her snow cone maker and grinded up wet bread and bacon.  He said he was making concrete.  He put the mixture in his toy backhoe then layered her new radio battery casing with the mixture.  Inevitably, he destroyed her radio and snow cone maker; a construction worker. He poured concrete for the city of Cairo, repairing many of the sidewalks, digging out the corners of streets and made them handicap accessible, and more. Brian designed and made a bicycle path for the students at Cairo Elementary School on the Pre-kindergarten lot and he constructed a basketball court for the K-3 students.

Brian’s talents went beyond concrete work. He was a masonry brick layer, an electrician, a mechanic, a landscaper, a plumber, an Alexander County first responder, Alexander County Deputy Coroner, Assistant Coroner, and his joy, a firefighter, with the wonderful crew at the Cairo Fire Department. Brian was not a jack-of-all trades, master of none; he was blessed to be a master of all of his numerous talents.

Brian was a member of First Central Missionary Baptist Church. He poured into the church’s ministry through mission work. When he was not a member, he would render his talents by assisting his brother, Pastor Lorenzo Nelson, Sr. with the numerous tasks that are required to keep a facility functional; and also with preparations for Annual Day Programs, Anniversary Programs, Community Bashes, and more. Later, he became the right hand person for his sister, Rev. Pamela Carlton. He took the responsibility to orchestrate and maintain repairs and maintenance to the church and fellowship hall.

Brian’s parents, Joe L. Nelson and Geraldine Carlton-Nelson; his brother, Pastor Lorenzo Nelson, Sr., and sister, Muriel Wilcher, preceded him.

To cherish his memories: Sons-Courtney (Dionna) Lewis, St. Louis, MO; Cameron Robinson, Cairo, IL; Siblings-Regina Carlton, Pamela Carlton, and Deborah (Bernard) Brown of Cairo, IL; paternal siblings-Edgar (Debra) Nelson, Indianapolis, IN, Sandra (Harold) Frank, Gary, IN, Leslie Nelson, Phoenix AZ, Renata (Terrance) Hill, Mounds, IL; Douglas Nelson, Chicago, IL, Quavaline Harris Nelson, Kenosha, WI, Destiny Harris Nelson, Bellville, IL, and Larue McMillen, Cairo, IL and his aunt/sister who took him everywhere she went, Lillie Carlton-Hopkins, Northwest Suburban, IL; Sister in law-Serina Nelson, and bonus sister Reginda Moore, Grandchildren- Camille, Kayson, Camarielle, Camryn, Kadyn, Jeremiah, Zacharias, Kamilah, and A’Lijha, and a host of neices, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Brian was blessed with numerous friends. To name a few: Cameron, Searle, Labeech, David, Johnny, Pastor Ellis, Beno, Nick, Adam, Chris, Gulley, Tyler, Todd, Christian, Scottie, Justin, Tronzo, Tim, Willie, and Torey. Special friend- LaQueen.

Friends may call Friday, May 14, 2021 from 11:00 A.M. until the funeral hour of 12:00 Noon at First Central Missionary Baptist Church in Cairo, Illinois with Pastor Jimmy Ellis officiating.  Interment will follow in Green Lawn Memorial Gardens in Villa Ridge, Illinois immediately following the service. Please wear your mask. The Williams Funeral Homes of Charleston is in charge of arrangements.