James Warren Nelson

life story

Loving husband, father, grandfather, and dear friend

Jim was a stalwart of the community who met every person with warmth, sincerity, a sparkle in his eye, and a welcoming smile.

About Jim

James “Jim” Warren Nelson of Coon Rapids, Minnesota, left his body on February 6th at The Bardo in Inver Grove Heights, in the loving arms of family and friends.

Jim was born in Minneapolis and raised in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, the second youngest of four boys. As a child, he was energetic and spirited—qualities that occasionally landed him in trouble at school, where discipline sometimes came in the form of standing in a garbage can or wearing a dunce cap. Even then, his strong will and lively nature were evident. Jim’s potential was clear to those who looked closely. Near the close of high school, a counselor discussed the Army as a possible path forward. Jim simply said, “I think I’m going to go to college.”

Jim attended the University of Minnesota for his undergraduate degree. While there, in January of 1969, he met his wife, Candice, in a Calculus class. She remembers him always having a big smile on his face and "always" arriving late to class. They were married in August of 1971 and shared 54 years of marriage. As a husband, Jim was kind and gentle. He and Candice delighted in laughing together and sharing jokes.

Jim and Candice had two children, Jessica and Nate. As a father, Jim is remembered for spending his summers off from teaching playing outside with his children and making up silly stories to make them laugh. His playful spirit was also deeply loved by his grandsons, with whom he spent a great deal of time. Jim was a remarkable father with depth and humility. His daughter will miss their long, frequent conversations about anything and everything including spirituality, the nature of life, parenting, and psychology. His son will miss Jim’s radical empathy, interdependence, and his desire to always seek the truth in every situation.

Jim graduated magna cum laude in psychology from the University of Minnesota and earned two master’s degrees. He worked as a licensed psychologist for fifteen years at the Family Life Mental Health Center and served on the Anoka County Mental Health Advisory Board as an advocate for the mentally ill. He taught high school psychology for over twenty years in the Anoka-Hennepin School District, spending his final twelve years as a clinical psychologist for the district. He also worked as a Resource Teacher, mentoring other educators. Jim received Medtronic’s Outstanding Teacher Award and was named to Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers.

Jim served five terms on a local city council, where he championed environmental issues. He sat on the Board of Directors of the Meditation Center in Minneapolis for over twenty-five years, serving as Chairman and Board President. He taught meditation for more than thirty years and served as vice president of AHYMSA, AHYMSIN’s regional organization in the Americas. He also taught for HYT-TTP and authored the book Running on Empty, an assessment of the destructive changes and challenges that have eroded the well-being of adolescents and young adults.

Jim traveled nationally and internationally as a speaker, presenting on topics such as The Art of Joyful Living, The Power of Forgiveness, The Sources of Emotional Pain, and On Becoming Your Own Psychologist. He was deeply devoted to the Himalayan Tradition and traveled numerous times to the Swami Rama Sadhaka Gram Ashram in Rishikesh, India, in order to deepen his spiritual practice. A daily meditator, Jim began and ended his days for many years with an hour of meditation.

Jim formed deep friendships that spanned decades. He enjoyed playing tennis and long philosophical conversations over chai. Friends describe him as warm, attentive, and easy to connect with, as well as humorous, good-natured, honest, and sincere. As one friend said, “He was (is) a kind and good soul… what could matter more than that?”

Jim dedicated his life to helping others, both professionally and personally. Through his many forms of service and his generous disposition, he touched the lives of countless people. He will be deeply missed.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Wayne Nelson and Audrey Amundson, and by his brother Jeff Nelson. He is survived by his wife, Candice Nelson; his daughter, Jessica (Ryan) Wedin, and their children, Maxwell and Nolan Wedin; his son, Nathan “Nate” Nelson; his brother Judd Nelson and family; his brother Jeff Nelson's family, and his brother Jack (Sara) Nelson-Pallmeyer and family.

memorial service

Celebration of Life

February 19, 2026

The Meditation Center 631 University Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413, USA

Family and friends will be hosting a celebration of Jim's life from 11:30-12:30 at The Meditation Center in Minneapolis. Light food will be offered following the casual service. Parking may be found on the street, or at the church parking lot across the street from the Center.

If you are unable to attend in person, you may also join the service via zoom:

Register in advance:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/n7sVT8I0QNqKlGnHu9NIMQ

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the zoom service.