Gordon Nelson Obituary Colonel Gordon Mauritz Nelson, 79, passed away at home surrounded by family on Sunday, July 23, 2023. He was born in Jamestown, NY on August 16, 1943, the first son of late Mauritz and Gladys (Vik) Nelson. He graduated from Hartwick College in Oneonta, NY in 1965. This is where he met his wife, Twila Cadman. They were married in September 1965. In 1966, he joined the Army's Medical Service Corps as an active-duty reservist and was stationed in Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He served as the laboratory officer while stationed in Bad Kreuznach, Germany, Fort Carson, Colorado then Fort Jackson, SC. He retired from active duty in 1977 but remained a Reserve Commissioned Officer in command of the North Suffolk Army Reserve Center. He continued his education at Old Dominion and Norfolk State Universities to transition careers and began working at Norfolk Naval Shipyard as a nuclear chemist. He was recalled to active duty to work at the Pentagon during Desert Shield / Dessert Storm and remained active-duty reserve until retiring from the Army in 2003. He retired from the NNSY in 2004. In addition to being dedicated to his work, he was dedicated to his family and friends. He enjoyed staying busy and helping people. He was an artist, musician, and a do-it-yourself man who took pride in all he accomplished. He was a long-time member of the Swedish- American Society of Tidewater and active in PACMOA where he served as staff photographer, Salute Newsletter Editor, and Website Manager for over 10 years. He enjoyed good food, good fun, boating, fishing, annual trips with family and just being a part of a growing family. He is survived by his wife, Twila; children, Aaron (Sarah) and Allison (Carl); 10 grandchildren (Brittney, Joshua, Julian, Jordan, Joelle, Parker, Kingston, McKenna, Meredith and Alden) and 4 great grandchildren (Sven, Jensen, Fjola and Anders). A memorial service will be held at R. W. Baker and Company Funeral Home, 5685 Lee Farm Lane, Suffolk, VA 23435 on Saturday, July 29, 2023 at 2:00 pm. Family will be receiving friends and family at their home immediately after. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Micheal J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. Online condolences may be registered at www.RWBakerFH.com. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See also: 1) https://www.rwbakerfh.com/obituaries/obituary-listings?searchName=Gordon+Nelson&page=1 2) https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/pilotonline/name/gordon-nelson-obituary?id=52555015 3) https://www.pilotonline.com/obituaries/Gordon-Mauritz-Nelson/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Narrative Summary of the Obituary Colonel Gordon Mauritz Nelson, 79, passed away on 23 July 2023. Born on 16 August 1943 in Jamestown, NY, he served in the Army's Medical Service Corps and worked as a nuclear chemist. He was dedicated to family, enjoyed various hobbies, and was active in community organizations. ### Narrative Summary of Funeral Services A memorial service was held at R. W. Baker and Company Funeral Home, Suffolk, VA on 29 July 2023 at 2:00 pm. Family received friends and family at their home after the service. In lieu of flowers, donations were requested to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. ### The Edited Obituary Gordon Nelson Obituary Colonel Gordon Mauritz Nelson, 79, passed away at home surrounded by family on Sunday, 23 July 2023. He was born in Jamestown, NY on 16 August 1943, the first son of late Mauritz and Gladys (Vik) Nelson. He graduated from Hartwick College in Oneonta, NY in 1965. This is where he met his wife, Twila Cadman. They were married in September 1965. In 1966, he joined the Army's Medical Service Corps as an active-duty reservist and was stationed in Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He served as the laboratory officer while stationed in Bad Kreuznach, Germany, Fort Carson, Colorado then Fort Jackson, SC. He retired from active duty in 1977 but remained a Reserve Commissioned Officer in command of the North Suffolk Army Reserve Center. He continued his education at Old Dominion and Norfolk State Universities to transition careers and began working at Norfolk Naval Shipyard as a nuclear chemist. He was recalled to active duty to work at the Pentagon during Desert Shield / Desert Storm and remained active-duty reserve until retiring from the Army in 2003. He retired from the NNSY in 2004. In addition to being dedicated to his work, he was dedicated to his family and friends. He enjoyed staying busy and helping people. He was an artist, musician, and a do-it-yourself man who took pride in all he accomplished. He was a longtime member of the Swedish American Society of Tidewater and active in PACMOA where he served as staff photographer, Salute Newsletter Editor, and Website Manager for over 10 years. He enjoyed good food, good fun, boating, fishing, annual trips with family and just being a part of a growing family. He is survived by his wife, Twila; children, Aaron (Sarah) and Allison (Carl); 10 grandchildren (Brittney, Joshua, Julian, Jordan, Joelle, Parker, Kingston, McKenna, Meredith and Alden) and 4 great-grandchildren (Sven, Jensen, Fjola and Anders). A memorial service will be held at R. W. Baker and Company Funeral Home, 5685 Lee Farm Lane, Suffolk, VA 23435 on Saturday, 29 July 2023 at 2:00 pm. Family will be receiving friends and family at their home immediately after. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. Online condolences may be registered at www.RWBakerFH.com. ### Vital Statistics Summary | Name | Colonel Gordon Mauritz Nelson | |---------|-------------------------------| | Age | 79 | | Birth | 16 August 1943; Jamestown, NY | | Death | 23 July 2023; at home | ### Table of Relationships | Name | Relationship | Residence | |-------------------------|---------------------|-----------| | Gordon Mauritz Nelson | Decedent | Unknown | | Twila Cadman Nelson | Spouse | Unknown | | Mauritz Nelson | Predeceased Parent | -- | | Gladys (Vik) Nelson | Predeceased Parent | -- | | Aaron Nelson | Child | Unknown | | Allison Nelson | Child | Unknown | | Brittney | Grandchild | Unknown | | Joshua | Grandchild | Unknown | | Julian | Grandchild | Unknown | | Jordan | Grandchild | Unknown | | Joelle | Grandchild | Unknown | | Parker | Grandchild | Unknown | | Kingston | Grandchild | Unknown | | McKenna | Grandchild | Unknown | | Meredith | Grandchild | Unknown | | Alden | Grandchild | Unknown | ### Other Relevant Information 1. Graduated from Hartwick College in Oneonta, NY in 1965. 2. Joined the Army's Medical Service Corps as an active-duty reservist in 1966. 3. Stationed in Fort Sam Houston, Texas. 4. Served as laboratory officer in Bad Kreuznach, Germany, Fort Carson, Colorado, and Fort Jackson, SC. 5. Retired from active duty in 1977 but remained a Reserve Commissioned Officer. 6. Commanded the North Suffolk Army Reserve Center. 7. Continued education at Old Dominion and Norfolk State Universities. 8. Worked at Norfolk Naval Shipyard as a nuclear chemist. 9. Recalled to active duty to work at the Pentagon during Desert Shield / Desert Storm. 10. Retired from the Army in 2003. 11. Retired from the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in 2004. 12. Was an artist, musician, and a do-it-yourself man. 13. Long-time member of the Swedish American Society of Tidewater. 14. Active in PACMOA, serving as staff photographer, Salute Newsletter Editor, and Website Manager for over 10 years. 15. Enjoyed good food, good fun, boating, fishing, and annual trips with family.