RICHARD F. NELSON

Richard F. Nelson, age 69, of Falls Church, Va., formerly of Manitowoc, died unexpectedly early Wednesday, December 16, 1998, in Falls Church, Va. Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, December 23, 1998, at St. Luke Catholic Church, Two Rivers. Officiating at the Mass of Christian burial will be the Rev. Larry Seidl with burial to follow in Holy Cross Cemetery, Two Rivers. Military graveside rites will be accorded by VFW and American Legion Posts of Two Rivers.

Richard was born September 25, 1929, in Manitowoc, son of the late Edwin and Agatha Mortek Nelson. Richard Nelson had the formula for success, a formula that drove him from entry-level quartermaster corps worker with the United States Army to a civilian rank equivalent to brigadier (onestar) general during his 24 years at the Pentagon: Work hard, enthusiastically accept added responsibility, and surround yourself with good people. Nelson and his family believe he is the only person from Manitowoc County to have achieved this civilian position grade level (GM-15). At the time he retired from the Pentagon civilian position, Nelson was a respected advisor to high ranking military personnel including the Joint Chiefs of Staff, defended the Army budget before congressional committees and verified the needs of the Army by traveling throughout the world to visit military bases. Nelson said he left behind a huge number of unpaid hours when he retired, but that was all part of the job. During his assignments, he said he never attempted to avoid adding responsibilities to his job description if it worked to better the organization. And when he was put in positions of hiring people, he looked for those with the same qualities he wanted in himself, those who would be promotable. He said he hired many people who moved up the ranks, an achievement he is proud of both for himself in selecting these people and for the hirees taking advantage of the opportunities presented. Nelson retired July 1, 1995, from his position as real property maintenance activities program and budget officer, in which he was overseer of the Army's $5 billion budget and advisor to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in addition to making many appearances before various congressional committees to provide information on the military. Nelson was assigned to justify the Army expenditures around the world. He visited many of those facilities during his tenure in the Pentagon, making more than 70 flights across the Atlantic and six across the Pacific. The Army has 295 major installations that have 100 to thousands of personnel each, 700 smaller installations with less than 100 personnel, 861 reserve centers and 179 National Guard units. Many of the installations were like small cities, Nelson said, noting that the finances for all were under his management. On those trips, he verified the needs of the various bases and attempted to accomodate the needs of the soldiers. Not bad for a young man who quit college in the fall of 1948, one semester after graduating from Manitowoc Lincoln High School. While in high school and college, he put in more than 50 hours a week making ice cream at Beernsten's Confectionery, and frying donuts and catching bread at Dick Bros. Bakery, simply because his family needed the income. His first try to join the Navy was not accepted because more than abundant peacetime numbers were volunteering. He then joined the Army, where he took a quartermaster corps assignment, after he was not assured he could get into cooking school. He served four years and one day in Europe and was discharged March 24, 1953, in Salzburg, Austria. He rejoined the Army the next day as a civilian supply systems analyst (GS-5) with the same quartermaster corps he had served as a military person the day before. "I needed the money, but I also love Europe," Nelson said of his decision. Several transfers resulted in time in France, where he joined the French Cycle Tourist Club, which had about 100 members, including a half-dozen Americans. One-hundred-kilometer rides and 30-kilometer hikes were common and quite a delight, especially to the French people. The touring group enjoyed the wine and crepes offered by the country people, creating memories for Nelson he said he wouldn't soon forget, despite the fact they happened more than 35 years ago. But even the beauty of Europe grew mundane. He longed to return to America. "It was fun, but it got to the point where I wanted to live with Americans again," Nelson said. One of his former Army bosses had rotated back to the Fifth Army headquarters in Chicago and asked for Nelson. So in May 1964, after nearly 14 1/2 years in Europe, Nelson returned to America and went to Chicago. He was transferred to Fort Sheridan and ultimately promoted to budget officer of the Base Operations Function. Nelson began a 24-year stint at the Pentagon in March 1971, rising to the civilian management rank of GS-15, and becoming the person with the most seniority in the Pentagon. In September 1971, he became program and budget manager of real property maintenance activities, which was responsible for funding all Army installations world wide. Nelson did not rise to his rank simply by doing a good job enthusiastically, he said. "I saw the light of day," he said, recognizing that he would need a college degree to be promotable. He went back to college in 1965 and 29 years after dropping out of college in Manitowoc, he earned a degree in business dministration, with a minor in finance. "If I had not had that, I would probably not have been promoted to GM-15," Nelson said. "Regardless of experience, when I hired people, I looked for what they were doing in college. If they were working toward a degree, that was okay. If they had a degree, that was good," Nelson said. "I was looking for promotability." At his retirement luncheon in Washington, Nelson said he was probably most proud of the fact that he looked out for the soldiers (because he had been one) and was recognized by many for that concern. He worked for upgrades in european facilities, in addition to facilities at Fort Bliss and Fort Gordon. Recognition came in the form of a Meritorious Service Award for years of service and the Commander Medal from the chief of engineers of the Army Corps of Engineers. Although he was retired, he said he would remain associated with the Army Corps of Engineers as an advisor.

Survivors include two sisters and brothers-in-law, Patricia and Donald Deja, Two Rivers; Janice and Mel Schack of Florida; one sister-in-law Margaret Nelson, Manitowoc; two
half-brothers, Dennis Nelson, California; David Nelson, Illinois; and uncle, Roland Nelson, Manitowoc. He is further survived by nieces and nephews, Pamela (John) Haines, Two Rivers; Nancy Adams, Two Rivers; Julie (Kevin) McDavid, Florida; Linda Nelson Stein, Manitowoc; Barbara (Dave) Leonard, Sheboygan; Jeffrey Nelson, Manitowoc; Trudi (Russ) Lindeman, rural Manitowoc. A number of great nieces and great nephews, other relatives and his many great friends also survive.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Edwin Nelson; two nephews and one niece.

Friends may call at St. Luke Catholic Church after 9 a.m. on Wednesday until the time of Mass at 11 a.m. There will be no Tuesday evening visitation.

Memorials may be made to the Salvation Army.

Deja & Martin Funeral Chapels, Two Rivers, assited the family with funeral arrangements.

Herald Times Reporter, December 20, 1998

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City cemetery records contain the following:

Name: Nelson, Richard
Burial Date: 12-23-1998
Age: 69
Typ: I (Interment or Regular Burial)
Vt: P (Veteran Peace Time)