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Just 82 years old, Gary Nelson died at home in Kerrville, Texas, on October 31, 2023, with his wife Evelyn at his side. He was born six months before the bombing of Pearl Harbor to Maxine and Clifford Nelson in Clarinda, Iowa. He always spoke fondly of his experiences in his small hometown, his time at Iowa State University where he received a degree in Aerospace Engineering, and the lifelong friends he made at Phi Delta Theta fraternity.
Following ROTC in college, Gary went into Army aviation with the expectation he would be stationed in Germany and get to travel throughout Europe. While waiting for flight school, he went to paratrooper training, where he liked to say that he foolishly jumped out of perfectly good airplanes before he learned to fly them. The needs of the military upset his travel plans by sending him to fly choppers in Vietnam, where he received the Air Medal with 21 Oak Leaf Clusters. After returning from Vietnam, Captain Nelson commanded an aviation detachment, flying VIPs to the air defense units around Kansas City, always making sure that he and his copilot had their helicopters down for maintenance every Friday by noon so they could lunch at the Playboy Club in KC.
The romance of the big city then drew him to the Big Apple to evaluate the Tri-Jets with American Airlines. One of Gary’s favorite anecdotes is when he flew his friend on a helicopter tour over NYC, giving his friend a thrill by flying right under the Brooklyn Bridge. While living the life of a bachelor on the East Side of Manhattan, he fell for and married the love of his life, a pretty and vivacious redhead from Brooklyn, Evelyn Capellini.
The rest of their working careers were in Los Angeles where Gary marketed Lockheed’s L-1011 for several years. They were fortunate during that time to have a life-altering educational and philosophical experience attending lectures on freedom from innovator Andrew Galambos. Gary and Evelyn started a typesetting business in the mid-70s. The business grew in 14 years to be one of the leading typography companies in the city. Along the way, they raised two outstanding children in whom they would be forever proud.
Following retirement from insurance sales in 2006, Gary and Evelyn moved to Kerrville, Texas, to be closer to their children and families. Gary learned to love and hate golf, traveled with Evelyn, and played Bridge avidly. He followed politics passionately and was never shy about expressing his political philosophies.
Gary was predeceased by his parents, Maxine and Cliff from whom he obtained so much value; his brother, Darwin Nelson; and sister Sherrill Phelps.
He is survived by his dear wife, Evelyn Nelson, to whom he was ever grateful for her love and companionship; his son, Dr. Douglas Nelson and wife Jennifer of Prospect Kentucky; daughter, Julie Farris and husband James of Flower Mound, Texas; grandchildren, Christopher, Lauren, Meghan, Alec, Jason and Ethan; brother, Dr. Merrill Nelson and wife Barbara of Green Valley, Arizona; and sister-in-law, Georgia Nelson of Clarinda, Iowa.
Visitation will be held at Grimes Funeral Chapels from 11am to 12:30 pm on Monday, November 6, 2023.
Following ROTC in college, Gary went into Army aviation with the expectation he would be stationed in Germany and get to travel throughout Europe. While waiting for flight school, he went to paratrooper training, where he liked to say that he foolishly jumped out of perfectly good airplanes before he learned to fly them. The needs of the military upset his travel plans by sending him to fly choppers in Vietnam, where he received the Air Medal with 21 Oak Leaf Clusters. After returning from Vietnam, Captain Nelson commanded an aviation detachment, flying VIPs to the air defense units around Kansas City, always making sure that he and his copilot had their helicopters down for maintenance every Friday by noon so they could lunch at the Playboy Club in KC.
The romance of the big city then drew him to the Big Apple to evaluate the Tri-Jets with American Airlines. One of Gary’s favorite anecdotes is when he flew his friend on a helicopter tour over NYC, giving his friend a thrill by flying right under the Brooklyn Bridge. While living the life of a bachelor on the East Side of Manhattan, he fell for and married the love of his life, a pretty and vivacious redhead from Brooklyn, Evelyn Capellini.
The rest of their working careers were in Los Angeles where Gary marketed Lockheed’s L-1011 for several years. They were fortunate during that time to have a life-altering educational and philosophical experience attending lectures on freedom from innovator Andrew Galambos. Gary and Evelyn started a typesetting business in the mid-70s. The business grew in 14 years to be one of the leading typography companies in the city. Along the way, they raised two outstanding children in whom they would be forever proud.
Following retirement from insurance sales in 2006, Gary and Evelyn moved to Kerrville, Texas, to be closer to their children and families. Gary learned to love and hate golf, traveled with Evelyn, and played Bridge avidly. He followed politics passionately and was never shy about expressing his political philosophies.
Gary was predeceased by his parents, Maxine and Cliff from whom he obtained so much value; his brother, Darwin Nelson; and sister Sherrill Phelps.
He is survived by his dear wife, Evelyn Nelson, to whom he was ever grateful for her love and companionship; his son, Dr. Douglas Nelson and wife Jennifer of Prospect Kentucky; daughter, Julie Farris and husband James of Flower Mound, Texas; grandchildren, Christopher, Lauren, Meghan, Alec, Jason and Ethan; brother, Dr. Merrill Nelson and wife Barbara of Green Valley, Arizona; and sister-in-law, Georgia Nelson of Clarinda, Iowa.
Visitation will be held at Grimes Funeral Chapels from 11am to 12:30 pm on Monday, November 6, 2023.