I’m going home with Jesus
in the twinkling of an eye,
I’ve made my reservations
for a mansion in the sky
-- The Nelons
The grief of heartbroken fans flowed across social media this weekend along with a consoling embace of music as news spread of the Wyoming plane crash that killed three members of the Nelons, the renowned Georgia-based Southern gospel group.
All seven passengers — including a state official — died when the single engine turboprop Pilatus went down on Friday, the same day the Nelons’ latest music video dropped: “There’s a hole in the heart,” a country-sounding song which includes sequences of homelessness, heartache and hunger, as well as shots of the U.S. Capitol and families in prayer.
Several members of the group were killed in the crash: Jason and Kelly Nelon Clark, as well as daughter Amber Nelon Kistler. Also killed were Amber’s husband, Nathan Kistler; Melodi Hodges; the pilot, Larry Haynie; and his wife, Melissa Haynie.
A celebration of life service for the Nelons and Kistlers will be held at 1 p.m. Aug. 6. Visitation with the family will be held earlier that same day at 10 a.m. to noon. Both will be at Roopville Road Baptist Church, 855 U.S. Highway 27 in Roopville.
Almon Funeral Home & Chapel in Carrollton is in charge of arrangements.
Funeral services for Melissa and Larry Haynie will be held 2 p,m. Saturday at the Roopville Road Baptist Church. Visitation begins at 11 a.m., according to the church.
A fundraiser for the Nelons’ daughter, Autumn, the daughter of Kelly Nelon Clark and Jason Clark, has been set. Autumn, who is pregnant, and her husband, Jamie, were traveling with the family but flew to Seattle separately on a commercial airliner, said Bruce Snead, a family spokesman.
The fundraiser has been set up by brother Todd Nelon, Jamie Streetman and several others. Family spokesman Bruce Snead said it is the only authorized fundraising effort.
“Our heart-wrenching grief is overwhelming, and we are just struggling to take our next breath,” according to the family’s posting on Facebook. “We humbly come to you now to ask for help for our precious Autumn. We are surrounding her with love, but she’s going to need financial assistance for the many mountainous tasks ahead. She has not only lost her family, but also her livelihood.” The posting said Autumn will be responsible for funeral costs and other expenses.
Gerald Wolfe, a gospel musician and president of the National Quartet Convention, has known the Nelons for decades.
”The Nelon singers have been a big part of our genre for so many decades,” said Wolfe, who lives in Tennessee. “They were one of the groups willing to stretch out a little bit and do things a little outside of the norm.”
He remembers, back in the 1980s, they tried more contemporary sounds.
”They were always on the edge, taking risks and exposing audiences that may not normally listened to gospel music. There was a lot of Americana type music.”
Kelly Nelon Clark in particular, was “a very funny lady. She loved to laugh. I’ve never known anyone who loved to sing more than Kelly.”
He last spoke with Kelly Nelon Clark a little over a month ago. The well-respected singer had just learned she was going to inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in September, said Wolfe, who is on the board of the organization.
She was very excited, as her father was inducted a few years ago.
”She’s given her whole love to music ministry,” he said. He also knew the others on the doomed aircraft. Wolfe said he was just at Roopville Road Baptist Church, near Carollton.
It’s been a big loss for their families, friends and gospel music, he said.
The Rev. Bryant Turner serves as worship and executive pastor at Roopville Road Baptist Church, which all attended.
“It’s been a sad thing,” he said. “It’s been a very tough situation and a tremendous loss for our congregation. They were close friends to me, which has made this all extremely hard.”
The Nelons were active members who were very involved in the church, which has about 1,400 members.
“They were very dedicated and loyal Christians and used their talents along with their local farm as a means of ministry,” Turner said they held concerts and different Christian events on their property, which was sometimes also used for weddings. “It speaks to their testimony. They were very solid and always looking for ministry opportunities.”
Nathan Kistler, an accomplished gospel singer as well, would sometimes fill in for Turner when he was out.
The Rev. Stephen Peeples, senior pastor of Roopville Road, said he could write a book about the Nelons.
“This has been so heartwrenching,” he said. “We were close friends with all of them on the plane. They were God-fearing, God-loving and and God-serving individuals. They were not only huge in Southern Gospel industry but other mission endeavors.”
The plane was on its way to Seattle to join the Gaither Homecoming Cruise, a gospel-themed voyage to Alaska. Haynie, the pilot, was chairman of the board for the Georgia Department of Corrections.
“We are shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of our friends, Larry and Lisa Haynie,” said a statement from the Villa Rica Police Department. “Larry and Lisa supported us at every turn, were generous to our department beyond measure, and constantly gave to the community without ever asking for anything in return. They were true servants.”
Nathan Kistler, Melodi Hodges and Larry and Melissa Haynie were also an important part of the church, Turner said. The Haynies were extremely generous, serving in the church in multiple capacities, Turner said. Larry Haynie was head of security and Melissa Haynie volunteered in the kitchen, pre-school ministry, and coordinated special events.
The fourth member of the Nelons musical group, Autumn Nelon Streetman, was traveling separately. She released a statement after the crash thanking fans and friends for the outpouring of sympathy and expressions of grief.
Coming the day they released “There’s a hole in the heart,” the crash had a resonance that was especially hard to grasp, wrote Tammy Mauck on Facebook.
“How surreal that this is their last release,” she wrote. “There are holes in many hearts tonight and I’m praying for the remaining families and friends.”
There’s a hole in the heart of this country
There’s a whole lot of empty going on
There’s a whole lot of fears
There’s a whole lot of tears
Somewhere along the way
We’ve lost our song
Many other fans echoed the lyrics in their stunned reactions.
“There’s a hole in all our hearts this morning as we mourn the tragedy that has claimed these precious people,” wrote Victor Warden on Facebook.
The Nelons group was founded in the 1970s by Rex Nelon, Kelly Nelon Clark’s father, who died in 2000. The group has been prolific, producing at least 25 albums and were nominated for 35 Dove Awards, which are accolades for Christian music.
In 2016, the Nelons were “an iconic, Southern gospel group,” inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame, according to the Gospel Music Association News. The group has been “one of the most beloved families in gospel music.”
Expressions of grief came from many others in the industry, along with professions of faith which was the foundation of the Nelons’ music.
“I have never been one to question God, and, I don’t have plans to start now,” posted a member of the Oak Ridge Boys. “My faith in God has always been strong. My friends and family are holding me up in prayer. I pray for divine guidance and strength to help give me, and those of us who are hurting, some clear direction. I will wait, I will listen. I will follow, I will lead if that be God’s will. Just help me understand. For those of you who know me. Since God knows everything, many times, I pray as I type.
“Our hearts are broken at the news of our friends Kelly, Jason, and Amber. Please be in prayer for Autum, Judy, Todd, and the respective families as they are left to pick up the pieces following this tragic and unexpected loss.”
The Nelons were energetic performers, making roughly 150 concert appearances a year in a range of forums. They recently performed at New Beginnings Church in Cartersville.
They were scheduled to perform in Carrollton on Aug. 4.
On Saturday, a spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board said that it appeared that the plane crashed after some kind of problem with its auto pilot. A preliminary report should come within 30 days, but a complete report could take up to two years to complete, he said.
Kelly Nelon Clark posted a prayer for “a smooth flight” shortly before the plane took off Friday, according to The Daily Beast. As the plane took off, she posted two photos from inside their plane, captioned with: “Wheels up! Seattle here we come!”
I’m going home with Jesus
in the twinkling of an eye,
I’ve made my reservations
for a mansion in the sky.
AJC staffer Kevin Whaley contributed to this story.
Editor’s Note: Story was updated July 30 to include dates and locations of services for the people who died and information on the fundraiser.
