Michael King Nelson

He was born in London, KY on August 30, 1952 to Orville Perry and Margaret Sue Nelson. Along with siblings Vicki and Edye, the family moved from Kentucky to Ohio and eventually settled in Tucson, AZ. Mike graduated from Amphi High School in 1970 and was a proud alumnus, starting and upholding a 51-year tradition of the Annual Turkey Bowl. He went on to the University of Arizona where he graduated with a BS in Civil Engineering in 1974.

An architectural interest pulled him to the unique challenges of offshore engineering and a 40-year career with Exxon. At Exxon, he met his wife Becki and the pair embarked on a life of international adventure with their two children, Andrew and Laurel. As a project executive, Mike’s assignments took the family around the globe to Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. He retired in 2014 and Mike and Becki once again settled in Tucson.

Mike’s passion for leadership and excellence led to developing and co-teaching Engineering Leadership at the University of Arizona. He enjoyed mentoring and sharing his knowledge with the next generation of Wildcat engineers. In 2019, Mike was awarded the Centennial Distinguished Alumni Award from the Civil and Architectural Engineering Department at the University of Arizona.

A devoted family man, great conversationalist, and avid outdoorsman, Mike loved to share in memorable experiences with family and friends. From moving speeches to personalized song renditions, his welcoming and gregarious personality put everyone at ease and lit up the room. He will be deeply missed by friends, family, and all who knew him.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Michael King Nelson to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.