James Russell Nelson, age 92, of Elsmore, Kansas, passed away on Friday, July 27, 2012, at Allen County Hospital, Iola, Kansas. He was born October 26, 1919, at Elsmore, Kansas, the son of Charles William and Matilda Susan (Peterson) Nelson. He was a lifelong resident of Elsmore, Kansas. Jim entered the United States Army in 1942 serving as a Master Sergeant for five years. He was recalled in 1950 to serve in the Korean Conflict for 11 months. Jim married Virginia I. Cochran on October 7, 1950 in Bentonville, Arkansas. This union was blessed with one daughter. He established and ran the Elsmore Recreation Center upon his return of the military for several years. He served as Allen County Commissioner. Jim worked for the State of Kansas Department of Revenue as a special investigator for the sales tax division for 22 years. Upon his retirement, he served as mayor and council man for many years for the City of Elsmore. Jim was a member of the Virginia Lodge of Savonburg; Scottish Rites of Fort Scott; Mirza Temple of Pittsburg; Tri-County Shrine; the American Legion Moran; and the Chanute VFW. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Charles W. Nelson Jr.; Kenneth Nelson, and Edgar Nelson; sisters, Stella Setterstom, Ruby Johnson, Mildred Hodson, and Bernice Gregg. Jim is survived by his wife, Virginia Nelson, of the home; daughter, Teri Porter and husband Rocky of Iola, Kansas; two grandsons, Dustin Hicks of Dickinson, North Dakota and Tanner Porter of Iola, Kansas; two step granddaughters, Jennifer Cescon and Lisa Cary and families of Iola, Kansas; one great granddaughter, Siena Hicks; several nieces, nephews and friends. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., on Tuesday, July 31, 2012, at the Elsmore United Methodist Church, Elsmore; burial following in the Elsmore Cemetery. The family will be present to greet friends at the Feuerborn Family Funeral Service Chapel in Moran on Monday evening from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to Mirza Temple Transportation Fund.