Nelse Edward O'Hair

Nelse Edward O’Hair was born December 20, 1963, in Laverne, OK, and passed from this world on October 11, 2023, at the age of 59.

Nelse graduated from Pond Creek High School in Pond Creek, Oklahoma, in 1982. He graduated from Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, Oklahoma, in 1986 with a degree in Industrial Arts.  

In August of 1983, Nelse picked up a girl on a street corner at a street dance in Alva, OK. Four years later, he married her on June 6, 1987. Nelse and LuAnn were married at the Pond Creek Christian Church by Nelse’s grandfather James Goodballet. Nelse and LuAnn lived in Pahrump, Nevada, and Dodge City, Kansas, before settling in Laverne, Oklahoma for the last 20 years.

Nelse worked several jobs before becoming a truck driver, a job he loved. For over 30 years, he was a long-haul trucker, delivering produce, live cattle, and fuel all over North America.

Nelse lived life big and out loud. Everything he loved he loved with enthusiasm. He would try anything – new foods, parasailing, and any other new opportunity that presented itself. He got endless pleasure in new experiences. Nelse spent 36 years cajoling, harassing, and dragging LuAnn (willingly most of the time) into adventures.

Nelse would talk to anyone anywhere about anything, but he especially loved to talk about hunting, fishing, and his grandchildren. He took great joy in being a husband and a dad, but the title Poppa Nelse AKA Poppa Else was the title he was most proud of.

Nothing gave him more joy than loading up the boat with his six grandkids and taking them out to the lake. He loved to take the boat out fishing with family and friends, setting juglines and spending hours casting off the boat. He especially loved fishing with his nephew Evan any chance he got. He was also an avid hunter since childhood, spending days in the trees and fields each deer season. He also hunted elk, quail, rattlesnakes, dove, coyotes, turkey, and even once, accidentally, a bighorn sheep ram. Early in their marriage, Nelse and LuAnn made a deal; he could hang all the deer heads in the house, and LuAnn could have all the books she wanted.

Nelse is survived by his wife LuAnn, daughter Kacie Dooley and honorary son Travis Dooley, son Noah O’Hair and wife Sarah, and six grandchildren - Korra, Elyse, and Tristan (Kacie); and Dryce, Ellyessah, and Lan (Noah). Nelse leaves behind one sister, Dee Clark and, husband Lance, and nephew Evan; numerous nieces and nephews; his honorary daughter Melody Seebeck and her children James, Mo, and Kayla; and his best friend Mike Dillon.

He was preceded in death by his parents Dusty and Mary O’Hair, and grandparents James and Dorothy Goodballet and Noah and Bessie O’Hair.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, October 21, 2023, at the Laverne Funeral Home Chapel in Laverne, Oklahoma.

Nelse touched many lives during his years on earth. He will be missed forever and always by all who knew him.