Ronald A. Nelson, 86, passed away peacefully at his home in Quarryville, PA on October 17, 2021 Born February 6, 1935 in Escanaba, MI to Theodore C. and Hildred (Carlson) Nelson, Ron spent his formative years living in Michigan, California, and Indiana. Employed as a draftsman while still in high school, he then worked on the Great Lakes ore boats for several years following his 1953 graduation from Roosevelt High School in East Chicago, IN. Ron earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University in 1957 and was a proud Boilermaker alumnus. In 1957 he accepted a job as Service Engineer with Douglas Aircraft in Long Beach, CA. This was a fortuitous move since it was in Southern California that he met his wife, Janet (Fry). They married in 1961 in Garden Grove, CA. Ron next worked for 30 years in various positions for Remington Rand/Sperry/Univac/Unisys that involved moves to Minnesota and California before Pennsylvania. During his tenure as Professional Staff Consultant serving international clients, he traveled to over 20 different countries and enjoyed seeing different parts of the world and learning about diverse cultures. At the end of his professional career, Ron was Product Manager and Technical Specialist for Decision Data. Following his retirement, Ron found more time to work in his vegetable garden, and cheer on his beloved Green Bay Packers. He also discovered a new passion for walking clubs. A member of the American Volkssport Association (AVA), Ron served as President of the Liberty Bell Wanderers for 10 years. He enjoyed planning group walks, organizing meetings and social events, and editing the chapter’s newsletter. With Janet, Ron traveled to all 50 states doing multiple walks including treks in all of the State Capitals. He was especially proud of completing the 26.2 mile Freedom Walk in Washington, DC at age 73.
Ron often enjoyed the historical and educational aspects of his walks. His enthusiasm for history also manifested itself in a passion for genealogy. He enjoyed searching for information and photos aligned with his family’s lineage and meeting distant relatives. One special trip was to his grandparents’ estate in Sweden where he unearthed artifacts connected to his family in local churches and town records. Ron blended his love of photography into all his adventures by returning home with volumes of photographs documenting his experiences. He is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Janet (Fry) Nelson; two daughters, Cheryl (Paul) Jorgens of Newark, CA and Rhonda Nelson (James Klueh) of Salt Lake City, UT; three grandsons, Tyler, Matthew, and Scott Jorgens; a sister, Dianne (Brian) Russell of Cedar Lake, IN, and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, Ron was preceded in death by two sisters, Barbara Wells and Joan Azzerello; and three nephews. A memorial service is planned for Saturday, November 13th at 11:00 am at Ascension Lutheran Church, 600 East Penn Grant Road, Willow Street, PA 17584. The family will greet friends from 10:30-11:00 am In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be sent to Caring Hospice Services, 101 Good Drive, 1st Floor, Lancaster, PA 17603. Comments are closed.
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