July 7, 1961 ~ November 2, 2021 (age 60)
Obituary
Don Henry Nelson II, affectionately known as Donny, was born on July 7, 1961, to Don Henley Nelson and the late Sylvia Loretta Haile Nelson, in Stuggart, Germany.
He spent his early years growing up in Germany, Washington D.C., and Landover MD. When the family returned to their hometown of Camden, South Carolina, he was educated in the Kershaw County school system until his junior year of high school where he then transitioned to and graduated from Boylan Haven Mather Academy in 1979. During his senior year he excelled in basketball, playing power forward while earning the nickname “Hawkeye” and was instrumental in helping the Eagles win the United Methodist State Championship.
After graduation, he matriculated to Hampton Institute, now Hampton University, majoring in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing. While at Hampton, he ruled the Ping Pong tables in the Student Union for four years. He also pledged Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity with the nickname “Nod”. He broke his back prior to his senior year but still maintained his grades and graduated with honors in 1981.
As the oldest son of four boys, he looked out for and protected his younger brothers.
After graduation from Hampton, he returned home for six months and worked for the Marriott Hotels Franchise and the U.S. Census Bureau. But the traveling bug hit and he accepted a position in Detroit, MI, working for General Motors – Cadillac Division. He then accepted a position as an independent pharmaceutical rep, Detroit region, for Elly Lilly Pharmaceuticals.
It was in Detroit that he met and married the love of his life, Sharvonne Ferguson, in September, 1989. Though they divorced in 2005, a decision he regretted the rest of his days, they remained close friends until the day of his death. Their relationship was one of the few things that brought joy to his life in his later years as he began to fall ill more often. She was one of the people that he could rely on most in his world because of the shared memories and love that they had cultivated over more than thirty years.
During the course of their marriage, Don held positions with Budco Marketing Services as Ad Exec for Ford Credit then with National Tech Team as IT Manager for Ford Credit. When Sharvonne moved to Charlotte NC, Don made his way south as well, opening a new call center for Ford Credit in Greenville SC. Don had a way of working his way through any job as if he was a seasoned veteran, a trait he carried over to other aspects of his life. Don had a way of talking to anyone he met as if they were the best of friends. He would tell long elaborate stories about the simplest things, quickly pivoting to another topic and continuing with his monologue. Don had a way of making every event he told funny, sometimes to the point where you didn’t even believe it. Don wasn’t always the easiest person to get along with, but those close to him never questioned the love he had for them.
He leaves to mourn his death, five children – Gabrielle Myette, Donnel Anthony, Jenelle Nicole, Terrel Alexander, and Zhyaire Omarion; a grand-daughter Alaiya Giselle; his father, Don H. Nelson; his brothers, Richard Haile (Lynda), Ivan Fitzgerald (Jennifer), and Anthony Leon and a host of nieces, nephews, friends and family too numerous to list but not forgotten.
“HE IS GOING TO THE CHAPTER INVISIBLE.”
VIEWING
Sunday
November 7, 2021
1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Nelson-Haile Funeral Home
919 Church Street
Camden, SC 29020
FUNERAL SERVICE
Monday
November 8, 2021
12:00 PM
Camden First United Methodist Church
704 W. DeKalb Street
CAMDEN, SC 29020