Lifetime Preston resident Randal Philip Nelson, 94, died Saturday, July 19, at home. A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1, at the Preston Cemetery in Preston.

Randal was born October 22, 1919, at Swedish Hospital, in Seattle, to Florence E. (Holmgren) and Philip C. Nelson. He grew up in the Swedish community of Preston. He graduated from Issaquah High School in 1937 and attended the University of Washington.

He served in the United States Marine Corps in Okinawa and Tientsin, China from 1944 to 1946 and was awarded the Purple Heart.

On December 28, 1949, he married Joyce Bruce Green, a British subject, born in Shanghai, China.

Randal worked as a recruiter for Boeing, in the personnel department and traveled extensively. He worked for the Preston Mill Company for 25 years and finished his career with the Bellevue School District in the maintenance department at Sammamish High School.

Randal was a faithful member of the Preston Baptist Church, the Preston Volunteer Fire Department, the Preston Cemetery organization, the Preston Community Club and VASA Lodge # 373.

Randal enjoyed volunteering at the Adra P. Berry Memorial Food Bank.

He is survived by his wife, Joyce and their daughter, Jane, from Preston; a sister, Bernice (Glenn) Carlson; niece, Susan (Charles) Segelhorst and their children, Annika and Thomas; a nephew, Steven (Louise) Carlson and their children, Greta and Sacha, all from California, and many loving friends.

Memorial gifts may be given, in Randal Nelson’s honor to Adra P. Berry Memorial Food Bank, Raging River Community Church, P.O. Box 948, Preston, WA 98050.