Forrest Nelson

Our beloved Forrest went home to be with the Lord on September 21, 2023, at 77 years of age, having suffered a heart attack following surgery. He passed away surrounded by his darling wife of 59 years, and his 3 sons, looking forward to being in heaven with his Lord and confident in his family's bond that he was leaving behind.

Forrest’s top priority was his family. He cultivated a space of love and safety, leaving a legacy of faithfulness and humility behind. He was always the last in line when it was time to eat, always making sure that everyone was taken care of first. He was a loyal Hawkeye, watching every game, regularly making a day of it, and spending time with his family.

He was born in a small town in Colorado and attended Crowley County High School in Ordway, Colorado. He married his high school sweetheart, Mavis, and went on to study at Colorado State University, where he got his bachelor's degree. Their three sons were also born in Colorado while Forrest was finishing his undergrad at CSU and beginning the process of receiving his Master's. After completing his first year of his master's degree at CSU, the family moved to Rochester, New York, where he got his master’s and Ph.D. in economics at the University of Rochester. After receiving his degrees, the family moved to Boston, where Forrest worked at the National Bureau of Economic Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The family moved to California, where Forrest worked as an assistant professor at Cal Tech for five years. Then, the family moved once again to Iowa City, where Forrest was a full professor of Economics at the University of Iowa. It was there that the Nelson family became die-hard Hawkeye fans. His final 10 years were spent in retirement in Central Texas.

His research interests were in econometrics, applied microeconomics, and prediction markets. As one of the founders of the Iowa Electronics Market (IEM), Forrest frequently used the IEM in research projects to develop, test, and disseminate information on influenza using prediction markets.

Over the last 17 years, he had multiple bouts with serious illnesses that attempted to claim his life. But being as tough as nails, he fought through, and with God's help he overcame each attack! He truly was a miracle man.

He loved being a grandfather, and made attending his grandkids’ after-school activities a top priority. He drove many miles to make as many basketball games, football games, and theater performances as he could. Forrest was a soccer and baseball coach for his sons when they were young, which bled into his love for his grandchildren’s activities. He loved to pour into his kids and his grandchildren’s schooling, assisting with homework and school projects.

Forrest will be greatly missed. He was generous to a fault, faithful and honorable, humble - everything was always about everyone else, nothing about him. He was an amazing example to the very end. He truly had a servant’s heart and modeled it in everything he did. Coherent until he passed, he blessed all of us individually and then slipped away saying, “See you soon! But not too soon!”