Norman Andrew Nelson, known as “Andy” or “Doggie,” 39, passed away peacefully at his home in Mooresville, N.C., on October 13, 2024.

Andy was born to Norman and Laurie Nelson on April 12, 1985, in Portland, Ore., at Emmanuel Hospital. He was born very prematurely and required multiple open-heart surgeries as a baby. He was not expected to reach adulthood. Andy lived his life to the fullest and proved the doctors wrong.

As a kid, Andy was a natural on the racetrack. He began his racing career at the tender age of 6, behind the wheel of a quarter midget as part of the Portland Quarter Midget Racing Association. He went on to race a junior dragster, go-carts, cage carts, sprint cars, dwarf cars, and a few different drag cars … all before the age of 18. He won multiple championships and traveled up and down the West Coast, including Canada.

Andy grew up and graduated from high school in The Dalles, Ore.

Andy’s dream was to be a lifelong racer, a dream that he fulfilled after relocating to North Carolina in 2009. He arrived in Mooresville with basically the clothes on his back ready to start his new life. He stocked shelves at Walmart, sold meat door-to-door, took a job at Napa … all while trying to break on to the scene. David Stremme generously welcomed him into his shop to start getting his hands dirty.

Doggie went on to have a long career with several incredible NASCAR organizations and drivers. He worked as an interior mechanic and tire specialist and traveled for several years with the ARCA Series. He won championships with Brandon Jones, Justin Haley, Ty Gibbs, Sammy Smith, and most recently with a talented young man named William Sawalich. He loved every minute of his work. His team members became his family, and every moment of his career kept a smile on his face.

Andy was the life of every party, and the glue to every friendship and group he was a part of. You could find him at a variety of local watering holes throughout the week in Mooresville, or really any hole around the United States on the weekend when he traveled with his race team. He included everyone, cared about everyone, and never met a stranger.

Andy regularly visited his family in Oregon to tackle projects around the house and reconnect with his childhood circle. For some reason he was always asking what time it was. He would say “getting a call from sissy so you know what time that is?” Kayla would proceed to connect on Facetime, and she would have her Jaeger and he would have Jameson along with any friend that he was with to “stay safe.” He loved his sister and especially his niece, Charlotte. He dolled up a Ride-On car for her this past Christmas and the joy of both is still going!

Andy was preceded in death by his father, Norman D Nelson; Aunt Carrie Nelson and Uncle Mark Nelson; and Grandparents Norm Nelson and Mary Kathryn Chavis.

Andy is survived by his mother Laurie Nelson (The Dalles, Ore.), sister Kayla Zeigler (husband Dylan, The Dalles, Ore.), nephew Jaxson Zeigler, and niece Charlotte Zeigler; and grandparents Walt and Beth Smith (The Dalles, Ore.); cousins Melissa Gaither (wife Jeri, Portland, Ore.), Beige Nelson-Cokely (husband Matt, Hood River, Ore.), and Heather Nelson (Portland, Ore.); Aunts Debbie Jones (Portland, Ore.), Kathy Smith (Portland, Ore.), Connie Krummrich (The Dalles, Ore.) and Uncle Gary Smith (The Dalles, Ore.); Long-time roommate, Jeff Neuendorf (Mooresville, N.C.); chosen brother, Andrew Holloway; and close friend, Cynthia Cantor (Los Angeles, Calif.). Andy had a very large chosen family in North Carolina, with simply too many names to list.

A final safety meeting will be held in Andy’s honor in Mooresville, N.C., on November 16, 2024. Details to follow.

In lieu of flowers, Andy’s family requests memorials to two organizations, the Cajun Army to help victims of the recent hurricanes or to Randall Children’s Hospital at Emmanuel who gifted us 39 years with Andy.

It was just time for a scenery change, Doggie. We’ll talk later!

Cavin-Cook Funeral Home and Crematory, Mooresville, is serving the Nelson family. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.cavin-cook.com.