Nels L. Clang age 85, of North Platte, passed away May 7, 2019 at North Platte Care Center. He was born February 12, 1934 to Fred A. and Ellen (Pettis-Tyson) Clang at Broken Bow.
Services will be at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, May 16, at Bethel Church. Burial will follow at Ft. McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell. Visitation will be Wednesday, May 15 from 1 -7 p.m. with family receiving friends from 5-7 p.m. at Carpenter memorial Chapel which is in care of arrangements. Online condolences may be shared at www.carpentermemorial.com. A memorial has been established in his name.
He graduated in 1952 from Anselmo High School. Nels served in the Army from 1954 to 1956. He was united in marriage to Loretta Kieborz, May 29, 1960. To this union five boys were born, Robert, Joe, Daniel, Ronald and James. They moved to North Platte in 1968 where Nels taught heating, ventilation and air conditioning at Mid Plains Community College for 33 years. He also owned his own HVAC business in North Platte for many years.
Nels enjoyed music at all levels. He played for dances at the senior center starting with Butch Kilmer Band and ending with Golden Classics. In 1976, Nels and his Uncle Charlie Pettis, were chosen to represent Nebraska at the Smithsonian for a Bicentennial Celebration. He loved Blue Grass music, playing with the Sandy Rivers Boys for 10 years .He was inducted into the Nebraska Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Nels was a master luthier, working on all musical instruments. He belonged to the old car club, building his late 1920’s Dodge Brothers car. He enjoyed hunting and taught hunters safety courses. He was an active member of the Wesleyan Church and most recently Bethel Church. Nels lived a full life and everything he did was geared towards his family.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Loretta; his parents and a sister, Wanda Seevers.
Nels is survived by his sons, Robert (Judy) Clang of North Platte, Joe (Yvonne) Clang of North Platte, Daniel (Tamara) Clang of Greeley, CO, Ronald (Marjorie) Clang of Colorado Springs, CO and James (Stefini) Clang of Broken Bow; grandchildren, Larry, David (Tina), Jamdan, Aaron (Sara), Caala, Emma, Matthew, Renee, Timothy, Jonathan, Benjamin, Brandon (Nichelle), Tasha, Abigail (Camron), Guydon and Charlie; great grandchildren, Gavin, Baylee, Rowan, Fynlee, Joseph, Parker, Brody, Miley, Ella and Hazel; brothers, Fred(Laura Mae) Clang of North Platte and Don Clang of Denver, CO ; sisters, Vera Veith of North Platte, Clara (Jack) Connely of York.
