MAISA News


Eight Bells Stuart A. Nelson


Stuart A. Nelson

April 7, 1926 - November 9, 2014

After a battle with pneumonia and lung cancer, Stuie Nelson passed away quietly with his wife Judy at his side on Sunday evening in Laconia, NH. Not only a pioneer for women's sailing as a founder and the first coach of women's sailing for New England colleges and the country, Stuie was always friendly and affable in his 38 years of coaching, teaching PE and Rec Sailing at the MIT Sailing Pavilion. His spirit continues to this day as every messed up bowline knot is fondly referred to as a 'running half tangle'. With an amazing memory for birth dates and all details that others would lose in a nano-second, Stuie was truly a bionic athlete with an amazing gift of gab, too. Windsurfing, iceboating, skiing, and any fun, fast challenge was a reason to try. 

New England College Sailing continues to honor Stu with a wonderful trophy which was renamed in his honor and has been hosted in recent years by Connecticut College. The formerly named Powder Puff Trophy was the first trophy for women's sailing in the country. Pic attached of this year's gathering.

We will miss him greatly and wish Judy well. 
Memorial service on Friday at 11am in Laconia.
 

Laconia, NH----Stuart Arthur Nelson, Jr., 88, of 714 Darby Drive, died at the St. Francis Rehabilitation and Nursing Center on Sunday, November 9, 2014. Stu was born April 7, 1926 in Boston, Mass., the son of the late Stuart A. and Isabel R. (Winters) Nelson.

Stu served in the U. S. Navy during WWII from 1944-1946. He resided in Squantum, Mass. for sixty-one years before moving to Laconia in 2000. He had been employed as a Physical Education Teacher, assistant sailing master and the women’s sailing coach for thirty-eight years at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass.

Stu was a member of the Congregational Church of Laconia. He was Past Graduate Treasurer of the New England Intercollegiate Sailing Assn., 2004 Recipient of the Intercollegiate Sailing Assn. of North America, Hall of Fame, and was past Commodore of the New England Ice Yacht Assn. in 1973. In 1981, he was Past Master of Richard C. Maclaurin Lodge AF&AM at MIT, Cambridge, Mass. and in 1984 he was Past Master of the Seventh Lodge of Instruction, Cambridge, Mass. He was Past District Deputy Grand Marshal, Richard C. Maclaurin Lodge, MIT, Cambridge, Mass. and was a member of Mount Lebanon Lodge No. 32 F & AM of Laconia.

Stu was a volunteer for Lakes Region General Hospital, Courtesy Cart Program and was a volunteer for the Belknap Mill Spring School Program.

Stu loved being with his grandchildren and sailing on hard or soft water.

Survivors include his wife, Judith Ann (Greenhalgh) Nelson, of Laconia; two sons, Jeffrey Stuart Nelson and Karl Alfred Nelson, both of Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.; a daughter, Nina Linnea Garvin, of Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., six grandchildren, Jessica Jean Garvin, Linnea Isabel Garvin, Elin Ruth Nelson, Niole Frances Nelson, Anders Abrahamson Nelson and Britta Dahl Nelson; a sister, Lorraine Daniels, of Squantum, Mass. and one nephew, Marc Nelson Hanover, of Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. In addition to his parents, Mr. Nelson was predeceased by his first wife, Ruth Caroline Nelson and a sister, Barbara Ann Hanover.

There will be no calling hours.

A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, November 14, 2014 at 11:00AM at the Laconia Congregational Church, 69 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N.H. Rev. Dr. Warren H. Bouton, Pastor of the Church, will officiate.

Burial will be at a later date in the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, Mass.

For those who wish, the family suggests that memorial donations be made to the St. Francis Rehabilitation and Nursing Center Activities Fund, 406 Court Street, Laconia, NH 03246 or to the Laconia Congregational Church, Dorcas Fund, 18 Veterans Square, Laconia, N. H. 03246.

Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N. H. is assisting the family with the arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial go to www.wilkinsonbeane. com.