Thomas McGill Nelson (1933-2008) Member of the Truckee Donner Historical Society and the USS Donner Memorial Association, Inc.
Thomas McGill Nelson, age 74, of Edwardsville, IL. died Monday evening, March 10, 2008, at Rosewood Care Center.
He was born on August 3, 1933, in Collinsville, the son of the late Charles and Irene Long Nelson.
Mr. Nelson was a veteran of the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. He proudly served from 1952 to 1956 aboard the USS Donner LSD 20, an amphibious Dock Landing Ship named in honor of the Donner pioneer party and the Donner Pass and Lake of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Tom Nelson “ Nellie ” was founder and first president of the USS Donner Memorial Association in 1998. From the start, Tom had the vision for founding the USS Donner Memorial Association, and for the Donner association's shipmates to know about the USS Donner ’ s namesake, the Donner Pass. Tom also wanted shipmates to be aware of the true story about the Donner party crossing the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the worst winter storm in history. Thus eventually establishing association membership in TDHS and conducting a 2006 reunion memorial service at the Donner State Park, Truckee California. Tom’s passing is sad news to shipmates who served with him on the ship and/or later in the association. From USS Donner shipmates to our friend “Fair winds and following seas.”
In 1957, Mr. Tom Nelson married Carol I. Wagner. She survives (update: On October 23, 2008 Tom’s wife Carol Nelson passed away). Interment will be at Bartlett Cemetery in Edwardsville, Illinois.
Along with his wife, he is survived by three sons: Thomas C., and wife Gladys, Nelson of Edwardsville, Timothy C., and wife Gail, Nelson of Bunker Hill, and Todd C. Nelson of Staunton; two brothers: Roy, and wife Doris, Nelson of Tucson, Arizona, and Robert*, and wife Colleen, Nelson of Edwardsville; grandchildren: Lucas R. Nelson, Julie Nelson, and Kyleigh Nelson of Edwardsville; sister-in-law and brother-in-law: Corrine, and husband Jack, Mewes of Edwardsville.
(* Honorary member USS Donner Memorial Association).
He was employed at Langen Oil Company for 20 years and Kienstra Concrete for 17 years. He retired in 1995.
His memberships include: Masonic Lodge No. 99 of Edwardsville, the Ainad Shrine Temple of East St. Louis, the American Legion Post No. 199, the DAV Post No. 90, the Teamsters Local 525 in Alton, IL for 40 years.
He loved to fish, was extremely proud of his family and especially loved being with his grandchildren.
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Letters and other Remembrances
I knew Tom Nelson for ten years, and am proud to call him friend and shipmate. Through his efforts, I have personally gained experienced (about) your country: Truckee, CA and the surrounding Sierra Nevada range.
Ronald D. Luxon, Secretary
USS Donner Memorial Association, Inc.
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Letters to the Editor Alton Telegraph April 12, 2008
April 11, 2008 - 7:32PM
We are losing them. Every day obituaries are including the words, “ proudly served with. . . ” in World War II, or Korea or Vietnam. We lost another of those heroes on Monday, March 10.
I met Tom Nelson in the Wal-Mart in Edwardsville [IL]. He was wearing his U.S.S. Donner hat, and I am thanking every vet I can find, so of course I thanked him. He was a bit teary-eyed when I told him that he did that service for me. We stood and talked for more than an hour. He was intense, happy for me to listen to his stories, and to hear what he was trying to do with those who served on the Donner. I have his card, and the memory of one who proudly served for all of us, who gave us four years full time of his very breath, and who continued to give by inspiring others, both those who served on his ship, and those who belong to military organizations.
Ever since James Bradley’s book, “Flag of Our Fathers” and hearing him on KMOX, talking of the sacrifices of these men and their families, I have tried to let every military person know how much I owe them, that all of us owe them. Tom Nelson was one of those men, and I will be forever grateful for what he did. To his family, thank you, may God be with you and give you comfort.
JUDY LOYD
Roxana
Thomas McGill Nelson, age 74, of Edwardsville, IL. died Monday evening, March 10, 2008, at Rosewood Care Center.
He was born on August 3, 1933, in Collinsville, the son of the late Charles and Irene Long Nelson.
Mr. Nelson was a veteran of the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. He proudly served from 1952 to 1956 aboard the USS Donner LSD 20, an amphibious Dock Landing Ship named in honor of the Donner pioneer party and the Donner Pass and Lake of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Tom Nelson “ Nellie ” was founder and first president of the USS Donner Memorial Association in 1998. From the start, Tom had the vision for founding the USS Donner Memorial Association, and for the Donner association's shipmates to know about the USS Donner ’ s namesake, the Donner Pass. Tom also wanted shipmates to be aware of the true story about the Donner party crossing the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the worst winter storm in history. Thus eventually establishing association membership in TDHS and conducting a 2006 reunion memorial service at the Donner State Park, Truckee California. Tom’s passing is sad news to shipmates who served with him on the ship and/or later in the association. From USS Donner shipmates to our friend “Fair winds and following seas.”
In 1957, Mr. Tom Nelson married Carol I. Wagner. She survives (update: On October 23, 2008 Tom’s wife Carol Nelson passed away). Interment will be at Bartlett Cemetery in Edwardsville, Illinois.
Along with his wife, he is survived by three sons: Thomas C., and wife Gladys, Nelson of Edwardsville, Timothy C., and wife Gail, Nelson of Bunker Hill, and Todd C. Nelson of Staunton; two brothers: Roy, and wife Doris, Nelson of Tucson, Arizona, and Robert*, and wife Colleen, Nelson of Edwardsville; grandchildren: Lucas R. Nelson, Julie Nelson, and Kyleigh Nelson of Edwardsville; sister-in-law and brother-in-law: Corrine, and husband Jack, Mewes of Edwardsville.
(* Honorary member USS Donner Memorial Association).
He was employed at Langen Oil Company for 20 years and Kienstra Concrete for 17 years. He retired in 1995.
His memberships include: Masonic Lodge No. 99 of Edwardsville, the Ainad Shrine Temple of East St. Louis, the American Legion Post No. 199, the DAV Post No. 90, the Teamsters Local 525 in Alton, IL for 40 years.
He loved to fish, was extremely proud of his family and especially loved being with his grandchildren.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — --
Letters and other Remembrances
I knew Tom Nelson for ten years, and am proud to call him friend and shipmate. Through his efforts, I have personally gained experienced (about) your country: Truckee, CA and the surrounding Sierra Nevada range.
Ronald D. Luxon, Secretary
USS Donner Memorial Association, Inc.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — --
Letters to the Editor Alton Telegraph April 12, 2008
April 11, 2008 - 7:32PM
We are losing them. Every day obituaries are including the words, “ proudly served with. . . ” in World War II, or Korea or Vietnam. We lost another of those heroes on Monday, March 10.
I met Tom Nelson in the Wal-Mart in Edwardsville [IL]. He was wearing his U.S.S. Donner hat, and I am thanking every vet I can find, so of course I thanked him. He was a bit teary-eyed when I told him that he did that service for me. We stood and talked for more than an hour. He was intense, happy for me to listen to his stories, and to hear what he was trying to do with those who served on the Donner. I have his card, and the memory of one who proudly served for all of us, who gave us four years full time of his very breath, and who continued to give by inspiring others, both those who served on his ship, and those who belong to military organizations.
Ever since James Bradley’s book, “Flag of Our Fathers” and hearing him on KMOX, talking of the sacrifices of these men and their families, I have tried to let every military person know how much I owe them, that all of us owe them. Tom Nelson was one of those men, and I will be forever grateful for what he did. To his family, thank you, may God be with you and give you comfort.
JUDY LOYD
Roxana
