Rufus John Nelson was born September 8, 1931 in Paris, Texas to Lucy Bernice Wilson and Luther Aldrich Nelson, Sr. He was raised in Hugo, Oklahoma and graduated from Hugo High School in 1949. He graduated from Oklahoma A&M College (now, Oklahoma State University) in 1953 with a Bachelor of Science in agricultural studies and was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. Upon graduation, he served in the United States Army 839 ^th Engineer Aviation Battalion SCARWAF in Osan, South Korea. After his service, he matriculated to Baylor Dental School in Dallas, Texas in 1956 and graduated with his Doctor of Dental Science degree in 1960. He immediately moved to Denton, Texas to establish his dental practice. He returned to Baylor Dental School as a student in the orthodontic school in 1964, writing his thesis on craniofacial deformities at the Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas, graduating with his Master of Science in Dentistry in 1966. He retired from his orthodontics practice in Denton in 2003.

John married his wife, Ada Lou Bailey, on August 31, 1957 and they had two daughters, Lindley and Meredith. He was active in the Denton County Republican Party in its early days of the 1960's and was awarded Volunteer of the Year in 1985. He was an avid hunter and took his adolescent daughters deer hunting, where he also taught them to drive. He was known for his building "projects" that began in the driveway of their home every summer in preparation for the upcoming hunting season. John loved that most of his family members lived in Denton, including his parents, and especially his older brother, L.A. He was also a devoted alumnus of Oklahoma State University and a dedicated fan of Oklahoma State University football.

John passed away after a sudden, brief illness surrounded by his wife and daughters on January 26, 2022 in Denton, Texas. He is predeceased by his parents, his brother L.A. Nelson, Jr, and his sister Lana Suzanne Wortz. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Lou Nelson of Denton, his daughter Lindley Cramer and her husband Bill Cramer of Houston, his daughter Meredith Revell of Addison, Texas, grandson James Doyle and wife Kali of Sugar Land, Texas, grandson John Doyle of Houston, Texas, granddaughter Margaret (Maggie) Revell of Peoria, Illinois, great-granddaughters Riley and Taylor Doyle, and nieces Nancy Nelson Black of Dallas, Texas, Susan Nelson Wright of Denton, Texas, and Marcella Nelson Butler of Forestburg, Texas.

Burial will be graveside, for family only, at Oak Grove Cemetery in Nacogdoches, Texas. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Folds of Honor (foldsofhonor.org), the Wounded Warrior Project (woundedwarriorproject.org), or the charity of your choice.