Barry E. Nelson

Barry was born on June 18, 1949 in Billings, Montana, to the late William “Bill” and Evelyn Nelson, most recently of Houston.

After graduating with a business degree from Stephen F. Austin State University in 1971, where he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, Barry began his commercial real estate career in Houston with Gerald D. Hines Interests. In the early 1980s, he moved his young family to Dallas and began his development career, delivering many class “A” office projects in several cities across the country, including some of the most iconic office buildings in Dallas, including Fountain Place, Spectrum Center, and 8080 Central, among others.

In 2013, Barry was personally selected and appointed by Texas Governor Rick Perry to serve on the Board of Regents of his alma mater, a position for which he had great passion, pride and commitment. In addition to serving as Board Secretary and a member of the Executive Committee, Barry was also Chairman of the Building and Grounds Committee. Under his leadership, the university recently broke ground on the Cole STEM Building, a $46.4 million landmark educational facility. Additionally, Barry served as an executive advisory board member of the SFA Nelson Rusche College of Business.

Barry’s contributions to the City of Dallas were not simply brick and mortar. He was actively involved in many local professional organizations, including in roles as a board member of the Dallas Business Development Corporation and as a past executive committee member of the Dallas Real Estate Council. Barry was also a generous donor to many charitable organizations and a proud supporter of our members of law enforcement and the military.

Barry had a wide array of personal interests. He was an avid outdoorsman who loved to hunt with his friends and family. He was a voracious reader and a diligent student of history and culture. He loved tennis, politics, architecture, movies, music and the beach. In his earlier years, Barry was known to “hang ten” from time to time. In between waves, he could often be heard jamming on his Fender Stratocaster.

Barry is survived by his wife, Marla Nelson; stepson Fletcher Cordell (wife Molly) of Dallas, daughter Mary Stratmann (husband Ben) of Austin, son William Nelson of Austin, stepdaughters Lindsay and Ally Langston of Dallas; grandchildren McCulloch and Olivia Cordell; and his beloved Maine Coon cat, Arthur Wyatt.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday, November 14th at Highland Park United Methodist Church, 3300 Mockingbird Ln, University Park.

The family wishes to thank the countless friends who have visited, provided for and prayed with them during this difficult time. In lieu of flowers, the families ask that you consider a donation to the Barry Nelson Memorial Scholarship at SFA. Gifts can be made at www.sfasu.edu/nelson, where individuals can simply enter any amount they wish to contribute. Gifts by check should be made payable to the SFASU Foundation with a note stating that the gift is in memory of Regent Nelson, and should be mailed to SFASU Foundation, P.O. Box 6092, SFA Station, Nacogdoches, TX 75962-6092. For contributions by phone, please call (936) 468-5406. The families will be notified of all gifts.