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In Memoriam
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John F. Nelson
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2/22/2025
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PETERSHAM, MA - Beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and nephew, John Francis Nelson died at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Virginia, on February 22, 2025, after several months of declining health.
Born on August 28, 1946, in Worcester, Massachusetts, Jacky, as he was known as a child, was the second child, and the second son, of Lawrence Nelson and Edna May (Granger) Nelson. From his parents, he inherited a moral compass that unwaveringly pointed True North throughout his life. He grew up in Petersham, where he developed friendships that would last a lifetime. In 1964, he graduated from Ralph C. Mahar Regional School, where he had played soccer and football and had run cross country. Jack, as he became known as an adolescent and then as an adult, had the gifts of both intellect and athleticism. A favorite memory of his sister Nancy, four years younger than Jack, was his teaching her to throw a football pass - so that he could practice receiving it.
The Nelsons were, and are to this day, a well-respected Petesham family, known for their community spirit and admired for their close bonds. Jack's running through the streets of Petersham, sometimes on a snowy night, was legendary. Rick, the youngest of Jack's siblings, was born when Jack was a seventh grade student. Jack said that he would always remember the day because he had happily scored 100% on a test at school that day, that event taking a very close second to the arrival of yet another sibling. Rick recalls learning later that it was Jack who had decided his name, arising from the then current fascination of Jack and others for the popular television program, "Ozzie and Harriet," and the TV family's youngest child, Ricky, a teenager who played guitar and sang.
Following high school graduation, Jack attended Norwich University in Vermont, graduating in 1968 with a B.S. degree in civil engineering and with his Reserve Officer commission in the U.S. Army. He traveled to California to begin his first civil engineering job, working for the State of California, and then reported for active duty in the Army Engineer Corps at the beginning of 1969. Years later, Jack earned his Master's degree in Public Administration (MPA) from California State University, San Bernardino.
Jack's was a life of service: to his country, to his community and to his family. As a child, he lined up his toy soldiers and planned their strategies. His sister Jean, eight years younger than Jack, recalls that she mischievously would rearrange Jack's soldiers when he left the room; although she feels certain that he knew that she was the perpetrator, he never became upset with her when he returned and surely noticed the disarray. Jack was patient, kind and loving. Jack was an Eagle Scout and was actively involved as a volunteer in providing Boy Scout leadership throughout his adult life. On behalf of all of us, Jack served in Vietnam and elsewhere, on active duty for five years, followed by several more years of service in the Army Reserves. He attained the Army rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Even while a student at Norwich, Jack became actively involved as a search and rescue volunteer in Vermont. He continued his search and rescue volunteer work throughout the many years that he resided in California, retiring from the San Gorgonio Search and Rescue Team in early 2024, after more than 42 years of volunteer service in search and rescue and as a Reserve Deputy Sheriff in San Bernardino County. Jack also was actively involved in various chapters of Toastmasters over several decades, taking on many leadership roles and volunteering readily to help newcomers and to ensure that the various clubs would continue.
As one might infer from his Army years and his search and rescue work, Jack loved adventure. While in the Army, he availed himself of every opportunity to travel to places far and wide. He volunteered for Jump School and Jungle School. He parachuted. He ran with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain. He skied in Norway. He hiked and camped in Australia and New Zealand. Throughout his life, one of his greatest joys was running, and he remained active, hiking and running and staying physically fit right up until just a few months before his death.
Throughout his career as a civil engineer in California, Jack was employed by the State of California, by Riverside County, by a private engineering firm and ultimately for many years by the Yucaipa Valley Water District, retiring from the latter as its District Engineer and Assistant General Manager in 2016. Despite his retirement, Jack continued to be sought after, right up until the time of his death, for his knowledge about, and expertise with respect to, civil engineering in general and water management in particular.
A lifelong learner, Jack was a voracious reader. His bedside reading included both novels by favorite authors, such as Tom Clancy, and textbooks on subjects like history, physics and chemistry, which he enjoyed reading to refresh his memory on subjects he had studied in high school and college.
Jack was predeceased by his parents and by his first-born child, his infant son, Justin. He was also predeceased by his first wife, Hong, whom he had met and married in Vietnam; by his second wife, Susan, for whom he had lovingly cared in hospice at the end of her life; and by Susan's daughter Michelle Figueroa.
Among the many who will treasure precious memories of Jack are his wife, Marie (McKenney), whom he had met in seventh grade and married just nine months before his death; his daughter, Juliana; his son, James (and his wife, Veronica); his stepson, Peter Tavernini; his granddaughter, Briana Aguilar (and her husband, Chad); his granddaughter Isabelle; his grandson, James; his grandson Aiden Newcombe; his step-grandson, Charles Lilless; his step-granddaughter, Ruby Lilless, his brothers, Larry, Paul and Rick; his sisters, Nancy Kilcullen, Kathleen McHugh (and her husband, Roger) and Jean Peterson; his many nephews and nieces; his aunt, Dorie Granger, whose 100th birthday celebration to be held in July is an event that Jack would very much have wanted to attend; and his dear friends, Tom Duane and Drake and Lori Archer. Jack is also survived by the following members of Susan's family: her daughters, Barbara Jo Angelo and Anita Smile; and her grandchildren, Casandra Antonio, Jessica Figueroa, Jake Figueroa, Anais Lieu, Janine LaVoie and Camille LaVoie.
Jack loved well and deeply. Life is fleeting; love is eternal.
Family and friends are cordially invited to honor Jack by attending a Funeral Mass, to be held at St. Peter's Church in Petersham on Saturday, June 21, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., followed by burial in East Street Cemetery and thereafter a reception to be held in Davis Hall at the Petersham First Congregational Parish, Unitarian.
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully suggests donations to the San Gorgonio Search and Rescue. Please note on the check that the contribution is made in memory of Jack Nelson and mail checks, made payable to "San Gorgonio Search and Rescue," to the Yucaipa Police Department, Attention: Search and Rescue, 34144 Yucaipa Boulevard, Yucaipa, California 92399.
Witty's Funeral Home, 158 South Main Street, Orange, is assisting the family. |
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