Andy Nelsen and his father, CliffAndrew C. Nelsen, known as Andy and formerly president of Arrow Distributing, Inc., and A.C. Nelsen Enterprises, died at home with loved ones by his side, according to his obituary.
Andy Nelsen started working at A.C. Nelsen RV World in Omaha, Nebraska, when he was 19 years old, his friend and RV industry peer Ed Leach said Friday. The RV dealership was started by his grandfather, A.C. Nelsen, in 1919 and later run by his father, C. Cliffton “Cliff” Nelsen. Cliff Nelsen, who died in 2002, was inducted into the RV/MH Hall of Fame in Elkhart, Indiana. Both Cliff and Andy served on the Bellevue University Board of Directors. Andy Nelsen earned his bachelor’s degree there in 1981 and his master’s degree in 1994.
“We were friends for a long time. Andy was just starting to work in the parts department when we met,” Leach said. “He was about 19 or 20 years old. We learned a lot of stuff [about the business] at the same time.”
According to the dealership website, A.C. Nelsen RV World has been run by four generations of the same family and “set the standard for the recreational vehicle industry. We are proud to be the world’s first RV dealership, with unparalleled industry knowledge built on trust, expertise and a genuine commitment to our customers.”
Arrow Distributing, which has been a distributor of RV and mobile home parts since 1981, is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, and was acquired by Meyer Distributing in August 2025.
Andy Nelsen was preceded in death by his loving wife, Mary Nelsen; son, Adam Nelsen; mother, Dorothy Conant; father, C. Clifton Nelsen; and sister, Judith Keep. He is survived by his daughter, Andrea (Andy) Mullin; sister, Karen Nelsen; brother, C.D. (Yong) Nelsen; nieces, Samantha Nelsen, Kari Ramsey, and Jennifer Iler; long-time nurse and friend, Christine Scorsone; daughter-in-law, Katherine Nelsen; grandchildren, Payton, Hadley, and Alex; and many long-time friends.
A Celebration of Life will be held at the Field Club of Omaha at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 2.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Haven Animal Rescue of Omaha.
