‘Red’ Nelson drove Hayfield school bus for 57 years

Walter “Red” Nelson lived on a farm with a sister, and when his family sold their farm, they moved into Hayfield when he was six years old. He attended school in Hayfield, and said he was not involved with school activities.

He filled in for a school janitor who was ill one night that later led to his working as a full time janitor at Hayfield. After he graduated in 1960, he went into the Army for two years and was stationed in Germany as a machine gunner. This was also the time of the Berlin Crisis in 1961 so things were tense in Germany at that time.

When Red came home from the service, he bought a truck from the owner that had died. He also started driving for a man who owned two school buses and a year later he bought him out and he was driving a school bus for Hayfield.

Another person owned three school buses, and Red also bought them out. Red later sold his trucking company, but he owned the Nelson Bus Company for about
40 years until it was sold to Curt Grisim Bus Company.

Red continued as a night janitor for the Hayfield school for many years.

Red met Linda, from Blooming Prairie, when she came along with a friend to Hayfield for an evening. He asked if he could take her out some time, and the rest is history as they were married in August, 1971. Linda worked at the Hayfield school lunch kitchen for over 20 years, and she continues to work at Casey’s in Hayfield making the sandwiches fthat are sold.

Red continued to drive school bus routes, and he would take the school sport’s teams to their games for many years. Chris Pack, Hayfield boys basketball coach and Athletic Director, said Red drove quite a bit when he first started coaching including his first year in 2001 when they finished second in State. Chris said, “Red is a great guy and was as reliable as anyone, and he really loved driving the bus.” Red was inducted into the Hayfield Vikings Athletics Hall of Fame in 2021 as a supporter.

Red said that he really had a lot of great kids on his bus routes throughout the years, and he really didn’t have many problems with the students as they obeyed the rules. On snowy winter days he would go along with the school superintendent at 4:30 a.m. to check on the roads to see if they were going to have school that day. Red said schools are always looking for bus drivers, so he encourages people to consider this job if they are interested.

He got the name Red since his hair was red when he was young. That name is what most people know him by as many may not know his given name. His hair has changed to white over the years, but he still has it.

Red’s family would take trips to the Black Hills, and other states when he was growing up. He used to hunt for years, but has given that up as he has a harder time walking. They also went fishing and camping in Northern Minnesota, but he doesn’t do that anymore either. He watches some of the Minnesota sports teams on TV, and also took in games at the high school, especially the indoor sports events when he worked the night shift as a janitor at the school. Linda likes to get out and take walks around Hayfield, plus she enjoys doing hardanger embroidery. They have been members of the Trinity Lutheran Church for years, and have been part of many volunteer activities. Red said he gets together with some other locals each week at a Hayfield cafe to help solve “world problems.”

The Nelson’s have three children with Jerry living in Albert Lea, and he builds engines for race cars. Mark lives in Kasson and installs tractor tires on area farms, while Amy lives in Hayfield and works at Casey’s in Hayfield. The Nelson’s have 2 grandchildren.

Red drove a school bus for 57 years, and has now retired after all these years as he needs to deal with some medical issues. He has lived the majority of his 81 years in Hayfield which he really loves!