Steve Nelson, 62, of Lumberton, passed Tuesday, September 22, 2026. He was born on January 5, 1964, to Mary Lou Littlejohn Nelson and Taz A. Nelson, in Paducah, Kentucky.
Steve grew up in Kentucky and graduated from Marshall County High School in 1982. He continued his education at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, where he earned his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering.
From an early age, Steve demonstrated a commitment to hard work and service to others. As a young man, he earned the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America. His commitment to service continued later in life through his involvement with the Masons.
In 1991, Steve moved to Texas, where he began building a successful career in the heat exchanger industry. He joined Excel as an estimator, preparing estimates and bids for heat exchangers. He remained with the company through its acquisition by Ohmstede and, through his knowledge, dedication, and years of experience, worked his way up to Estimating Manager. Steve spent approximately 19 years with Excel and Ohmstede before continuing his career with Weld Spec around 2010.
Steve worked for Weld Spec from approximately 2010 until 2025, where he was involved in numerous projects throughout the industry. One project his family especially remembers was his work on the F8 expansion for Indorama in Port Neches.
Outside of his career, Steve was rarely one to sit still. He loved working with his hands and had a lifelong passion for classic cars. Over the years, his cars included a 1978 Chevrolet Camaro and a 1982 Corvette. Most recently, he was working on a 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle convertible. Although his illness prevented him from finishing the Chevelle, it remained one of the many projects that reflected his love of cars and his desire to always have something to work on.
Steve's ability to build and repair things was something that ran in the family. He learned many of his handyman skills from his father, Taz, who worked as an electrician after returning home from the war. Steve carried those lessons with him throughout his life. He remodeled multiple homes, taking on projects ranging from additions to complete kitchen renovations.
More importantly, Steve passed those skills along to his sons. He taught them how to work on cars, how to use their hands, how to solve problems, and how to take pride in doing a job the right way. When the time came for his youngest son to remodel his own kitchen, Steve was there helping him just as his own father had once taught and helped him.
Steve also had a love for racing that became an important part of his family's life. He spent countless hours at the dirt track helping and supporting his two sons as they raced. Eventually, giving advice from the sidelines wasn't quite enough, and Steve got behind the wheel himself to race dirt-track karts.
For his sons, however, the lessons Steve passed down went far beyond cars, racing, tools, and home projects. He taught them how to work hard, how to provide for their families, and how to become good men. His influence can be seen in the lives they have built, and they would not be the men they are today without the father who raised them.
Between work, cars, racing, home projects, and everything else he found to keep himself busy, Steve made time to see the world with the people he loved most. He enjoyed traveling throughout the country with his family, with their adventures even taking them beyond the United States to Canada and Mexico. Those trips created memories his family will carry with them for years to come.
Survivors include his wife, Cheryl Nelson; sons, Taz Nelson and his wife, Victoria Hagood, of Silsbee and Luke Nelson and his wife, Taylor, of Beaumont; daughter, Emily Nicotre and her husband, Troy, of Lumberton; sister, Terri Bailey and her husband, Lee, of Calvert City, Kentucky; grandchildren, William Taz Nelson and Mindy Nicotre; and nephews, Joshua Bailey and his wife, Cindy, of Louisville, Kentucky and Jonathan Bailey and his wife, Jamie, of Benton, Kentucky; along with various other nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Taz and Mary Lou Nelson and in-laws, Dr. Rudy and Martha Allred.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Association for Leukemia, P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, Maryland 21741.
A gathering of Mr. Nelson's family and friends will be from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at Broussard's, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont. His funeral service will be 6:00 p.m., Thursday, October 1, 2026, at Westgate Memorial Baptist Church, 6220 Westgate Drive, Beaumont.
His graveside service will be at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, October 3, 2026, at Ebenezer Methodist Church Cemetery, McCall Creek, Mississippi.
