Dr. John C. Nelson, Former ARS Board President, Has Died

Dr. John C. Nelson
 

John C. Nelson passed on January 24, 2023. He was born on December 20, 1932, in Des Moines, IA, to Lester C. and Goldie Spar Nelson. He spent his early school years in Arizona and Iowa. He graduated from Nebraska City, NE, High School in 1950.

He enrolled at the University of Nebraska majoring in music. After attending for two years, he entered the Navy. He spent two years in the Orient serving as a member of the Flag Band with the 7th Fleet and then two years at the Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi, TX. After his discharge from the Navy, he returned to the University of Nebraska where he earned his Bachelor and Master’s degrees in music.

In 1959 he married fellow university student, Agnes Vesely of Wilber, NE. The couple was blessed with two sons – David and Mark. In 1962 the family moved to Iowa City, IA, where John began studies for his Ph.D. in Music which he completed in 1970. John’s college teaching in music theory was done at Arkansas Polytechnic College in Russellville, AR, and at Georgia State University in Atlanta.

During his time in Atlanta, John sang in the Robert Shaw Chorale and The Atlanta Opera, performed with the Southeastern Savoyards, was active with the American Recorder Society, and directed the choir at St. James Lutheran Church in Norcross, GA. 

Nelson was ARS President during a critical year, 2001-02. After the Twin Towers came down, the ARS Board had scheduled Board and annual meetings set in the weeks after 9/11. After making the decision that it was unsafe for the Board to travel for its meeting, he flew to Little Rock, Arkansas (where the chapter was geared up to host the Board) and conducted the annual meeting as it had been announced with chapter members there.

He had been a member of ARS since 1980.