Nelson Gatewood

Nelson Louis Gatewood, 93, of Highland, Arkansas, died July 31, 2017, in a vehicle accident at Ash Flat, Arkansas. He was born December 28, 1923, in Crown City, Ohio, to Perry and Emma (Caldwell) Gatewood. Nelson was a veteran of the U.S. Army, Airborne Division, where he was a paratrooper. He proudly served his fellow veterans by honoring them with work on the Ash Flat Veterans Memorial as well as educating area youth about U.S. military history. He was a recipient of the Purple Heart. Nelson had worked as an engineer for Ohio Bell Telephone Company before moving to Arkansas. His hobbies included portraying "Nellie the Clown" for children; he was described as a romantic and a poet. He strongly supported the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Nelson was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Ella; and two daughters, Diane and Joan. Survivors include his wife, Phyllis (who died just a few minutes after he did as a result of the same vehicle accident); a daughter, Lillian Ella (David) Sullivan of Indio, California; two sisters, Rowena Zenk and Lucy Seeds; and many other relatives along with a world of good friends. A visitation of family and friends will begin at 6 p.m. Thursday, August 3, 2017, in the chapel of Tri-County Funeral Home at Highland, Arkansas. Funeral service will be 10 a.m. Friday, August 4, at the funeral home. Burial with full military honors will be in Oaklawn Cemetery at Highland. Pallbearers include members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion: Wes Austin, Lou Barla, Jim Golden, Andy Ryan, Richard Sackett, and Richard Wargo.