Richard A. “Curly” Nelms age 83 of Clinton, passed away Friday Feb. 19, 2021 at the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City. Funeral services will be held 11:00 AM Wednesday Feb. 24th at the Pape Funeral Home. Visitation will be held Wednesday 10:00 AM until the service hour at the funeral home. A graveside service will be held Wednesday 1:00 PM at the Rock Island Arsenal National Cemetery in Rock Island. On Saturday Feb. 27th a Celebration of Life service will be held 2 – 5 PM at the Clinton Church of Christ. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the family. Online condolences may be left at www.papefh.com

Curly was born on Oct. 28, 1937 in Geneseo, IL, the son of Thomas and Angeline (Bessant) Nelms. He married Melody Brinkman on Dec. 18, 2003 in Tipton, IA. He worked as a semi-truck driver for many years, retiring in 2020. He enjoyed woodworking, his black lab “Daisy”, the Green Bay Packers, and loved to socialize.

Curly is survived by his wife, Melody Nelms of Clinton; his daughter, Amanda (Roy) Easley of Clinton; a son, Matt Brinkman of Clinton; three grandsons, Jarrod, Brandon, and Roy Jr.; and a sister, Cassandra Freas of Sterling, IL. He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters.