Community Mourns Passing Of Beaumont's Robert Wayne Nielson

BEAUMONT, CA — Our beloved father, husband, grandfather, brother, father-in-law, nephew, uncle, cousin, and friend, Robert Wayne Nielson passed away peacefully at Heritage Gardens Health Care Center on Thursday, January 14, 2021, just two weeks after the passing of his sweet wife, Jerry. He was 78.

Born March 26, 1942, in Price, Utah, to parents Mona Delsa Pearson and Willard Kermit Nielson, Wayne's family moved to Fontana, Calif., in 1951. Wayne received a bachelor's degree in business administration with a major in accounting from Woodbury College in Los Angeles in 1962 and served in the United States Army from 1964 to 1966. He later moved back to Price and worked as an accountant for the local coal mine, where he met his loving wife of 36 years, Jerry Lynne Christopherson. They married and moved to Southern California where they raised their daughters.

Wayne retired from the Mission Springs Water District in Desert Hot Springs after nearly 17 years as director of finance.

When he wasn't working, Wayne could be found hunting, fishing, cleaning his guns, building model airplanes, making bows and arrows, and competing in archery. He won many awards in the long-bow division and held multiple state records. Additionally, Wayne was an excellent craftsman and could build or fix anything.

Wayne will be remembered for his fervent patriotism, generosity, strong work ethic, colorful sense of humor, and lifelong devotion as a caring husband, father, and grandfather. He will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Wayne is preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Bruce, Lamar, and Glen Nielson; and wife, Jerry Nielson. He is survived by his daughters, Chanille Dunnam, McKenzie (Skyler) Brunner, Remmik (Ben) Hawks; sister, Karma Mulliner; sisters-in-law, Ardie and Heidi Nielson; sister- and brother-in-law, Teri and Dana Paquette; brothers-in-law, Randy Christopherson and Don Wisdom; five grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Services will be held for immediate family members only. Please contact one of Wayne’s daughters if you would like to send the family flowers or condolences.