Memorial Trees
C
Chef Mark, and the Rdubbs team
April 15, 2025
T
The Kemin Crop Technologies Team
April 14, 2025
Memorial trees planted for:
R.W. Nelson
<p> As human beings, the course of our lives is charted by our beliefs. Rolland Wade “Bud” Nelson lived his beliefs every day, driven by a sense of purpose and an undeniable energy to make a difference in the world. R.W. passed away peacefully on April 7, 2025, in the company of his wife of 72 years, Mary, and surrounded by their family.</p><p><br></p><p>Born in Kansas City, Missouri, on February 28, 1927, to Lillian and Bart Nelson, R.W. was the middle child of six. At the age of seven, his family moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where R.W. lived for the rest of his life. A proud graduate of Dowling Catholic High School and Drake University, it was in Des Moines that R.W. and his wife, Mary, would create Kemin Industries in 1961.</p><p><br></p><p>Growing up, R.W. was active in sports, especially football. He was named to the All-City Team his senior year at Dowling Catholic High School as an offensive lineman and was awarded a football scholarship to attend Drake University. After his freshman year at Drake, R.W. was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Corps. He served at Clark Air Base in the Philippines during World War II as a crew chief, mechanic, and tailgunner. R.W. served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1945 to 1947, earning several service ribbons during that time.</p><p><br></p><p>After the war, R.W. returned to Drake as a biology major, graduating and enrolling in Drake's master’s biology program. During this time, he went on a blind date with an Iowa State University student, Mary Kelleher. Set up by her cousin, who wanted an introduction to Mary’s college roommate, Mary insisted that she would only make the introduction if he brought someone for her and that someone was R.W. After a long courtship, Mary and R.W. married on February 11, 1953.</p><p><br></p><p>As a young newlywed, R.W. began his lifelong career as a salesman, selling water treatment chemicals and animal feed ingredients for the chemical distributor McKesson and Robbins. That experience sparked his interest in the animal feed industry and the art of sales. His first son, Christopher, was born during this time, and four more children would follow over the next seven years: Elizabeth “Libby,” Janet, David, and Molly.</p><p><br></p><p>In the fall of 1961, R.W. was a salesman at the Flavor Corporation. Restless to start his own business and follow in the footsteps of his father and brother, and unhappy about his future prospects in his current role, R.W. and Mary struck out on their own. With $10,000 in savings, a living room for their home office, and five small children, they created an agricultural ingredient company in Des Moines that would become known as Kemin Industries.</p><p><br></p><p>For over six decades, R.W. and Mary built Kemin from a small Midwest company into a global leader in ingredients and scientific innovations, offering more than 500 specialty ingredients that better the health and well-being of people, pets, animals, livelihoods, and the planet. Today, the Kemin footprint spans six continents and serves customers in more than 120 countries. Known as Kemin’s most dedicated marketer and salesman, R.W. came to the office for nearly 60 years. He was beloved by countless customers around the world and thousands of Kemin employees whose lives he impacted.</p><p><br></p><p>Throughout his career, R.W. was a celebrated innovator, holding four patents, and was recognized worldwide for his scientific discoveries and business achievements. He received citations from two presidents: the President’s “E” Certificate for Exports from President Nixon in 1971 and the President’s “E” Star Award for Excellence in Export from President Carter in 1978. R.W. also received the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Export Award in 1972, the State of Iowa Economic Impact Award in 1987, the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur Achievement Iowa Award in 1991, and the Iowa Biotechnology Association’s Entrepreneur Achievement Biotechnology Award in 2004. In 2006, he was inducted into the Iowa Business Hall of Fame.</p><p><br></p><p>Both at Kemin and across global communities, R.W. was a servant leader and believed in the moral obligation to improve the quality of life for others and give back to the community. R.W. and Mary quietly became transformative philanthropic leaders in Iowa and around the world, supporting hundreds of organizations and contributing significantly to many. Known to be the most humble recipients of any type of recognition, they were deeply honored to receive the 2019 Robert D. Ray Iowa SHARES Humanitarian Award for their commitment to outreach to remote parts of distant countries affected by devastating natural disasters.</p><p><br></p><p>R.W. was tirelessly committed to Kemin, but equally so to his faith, community, and, most importantly, his family. He loved spending time with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He was an avid attendee of his grandchildren’s sporting events, enjoyed many fishing trips, and partook in the occasional wagering of cookies for Super Bowl and World Series bets. In his many roles, from grandfather to global business visionary, R.W. will be remembered for his integrity, humility, and life-long belief that anyone can make a difference and should do so.</p><p><br></p><p>R.W. is survived by his wife, Mary, and their children, Christopher (Linda), Elizabeth “Libby,” Janet (Georgia), David (John), and Molly; twelve grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. R.W. was preceded in death by his parents, Barton and Lillian Nelson, and siblings Barton Nelson Jr, Donald Nelson, Thomas Nelson, Dolores Nelson Stall, and Daniel Nelson.</p><p><br></p><p>A visitation will be held Tuesday, April 22, 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. The funeral will be Wednesday, April 23, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Both will be held at Sacred Heart Church in West Des Moines, Iowa. In lieu of flowers, the Nelson family asks that memorials be directed to The Harkin Institute at Drake University https://alumni.drake.edu/harkin and the science and athletic programs at Dowling Catholic High School </p><p>https://www.dowlingcatholic.org/give/memorial-gift.</p>February 28, 1927 - April 7, 202502/28/192704/07/2025
Share Obituary: