July 17, 1947 – October 13, 2015
Steve Nelson, age 68, died of cancer on October 13, 2015. He was born in Fall River Mills, CA on July 17, 1947 to Wilbur and Ethel Nelson. He grew up in Salt Lake City, UT, where his parents pastored a church, ran a gospel radio ministry, and taught their children in the ways of the LORD.
Steve and his first wife Cheryl moved to Seattle, WA in 1969, where they had their only son, Nate. Steve loved worshipping Jesus and leading other people in His praise, and in 1986, he became the worship leader at Woodland Baptist church (later Grace Fellowship). While there, Steve constantly showed the love of Christ to people in the Ballard area, and became pastor of the church in 2001.
In 2007, Steve met, fell in love with, and married Jennifer Stoops Nelson, and the following year, the Lord blessed them with a son, Luke. As a pastor, Steve continued to 
grow in his commitment to trust the Lord and his son Jesus Christ in every area of his life, and to love every person he met as a creation of God. He lived according to Hebrews 10:35-36.
“Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.”
In July of 2015, in the midst of a three-year battle against cancer, Steve retired from Grace Fellowship and planned, with his wife Jen and son Luke, to move to Sequim, WA to begin a home ministry, teaching people about God’s grace through Jesus Christ. On October 13, Steve, like that Great Cloud of Witnesses before him, “died in faith, not having received the 
things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that [he was a stranger and exile] on the earth.” (Hebrews 11:13)
Steve’s love for others and the strength of his faith in God’s power and goodness continue to set an example for his family, his flock, and his friends.
Steve is survived by his wife Jen and his sons Nate, Jazz, and Luke. His memorial service will be at Calvary Ballard (410 NW 62nd St., Seattle, WA, 98107) on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 2:00pm.