Obituary of Pastor Carl D. Nelson

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Passed away on Friday, July 1, 2022 at age 68.

Carl Douglas Nelson was born February 10,1954, to Gussie Lee (Nelson) Ferguson and Moten Bouey in Altamonte Springs, Florida. As a child he attended Rosenwald Elementary and played little league baseball.  He attended South Seminole Jr. High and gave his life to the Lord at the age of 14. He loved singing and playing both bass and lead guitar. He graduated from Lyman High School in 1972 and soon after moved to Rochester, NY.

Upon arriving in Rochester, Nelson connected with his family the Johnsons/Hartsfields and attended Mt. Nebo under Pastor Katie B. Cross. Nelson worked for various companies over the years but spent the majority of his career at Eastman Kodak and Action for A Better Community. Rev. Nelson was mentored in ministry under the tutelage of Bishop Elie Granger (Calvary Spiritual Church) under whom he was licensed and ordained. He was the establishmentarian and founder of the New Jerusalem Spiritual Church (later renamed New Jerusalem Ministries) which he pastored until being called back to Calvary Spiritual Church upon the retirement of Bishop Granger.

A devoted lover of music, Rev. Nelson played bass guitar for several groups including The Calvary Spiritual Singers, The Voices of Calvary, The Gospel Pearls, The Royal Echoes, and The Greater Universal Unity Choir. He was also the community’s pastor, known for years for opening gospel concerts for Little John at Hochstein School of Music.

He is preceded in death by both parents Gussie Ferguson and Moten Bouey; brothers, James Ferguson and Kenneth Ferguson.

He leaves to cherish his memory, a loving wife, Emma Nelson; children, Carleatha Nelson, Sonya Martin, Sandra Y.G. Jones; five grandchildren, Zhyaire Pharoah Douglas Smith, Mason Anthony Nelson, Branden Martin, Justen Taylor and Kyeshia Taylor; siblings, Joe Ferguson of Chicago, IL, Herbert Bouey (Val) of Altamonte Springs, FL, Corine Thomas (Robert) of Altamonte Springs, FL, Wilbur Ferguson of Altamonte Springs, FL, Rev. David L. Ferguson (Kathy) of Altamonte, Springs, FL, and Patricia Alexander (Anthony) of Winter Springs, FL; and a host of family and friends.