Donald Wayne Nelson

Don was born on April 16, 1951, in Galveston, Texas, and grew up in LaMarque. He was the proud product of a mix of the cultures of his Louisiana-born Texan Dad, James Raydon Nelson, and his Blackpool, England-born Mom, Muriel Hickton Nelson. Both of his parents preceded him in death.

Don grew up with his beloved siblings, big brother Paul and little sister Julie, along with numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. His parents instilled in him the importance of honest, loving relationships, which Don extended not only to his family but also to his many lifelong friends from grade school, college, Austin, and Corpus Christi.

Don graduated from Lamar University with a BS in Civil Engineering in 1973. He earned his Professional Engineer certificate in 1978 and maintained it up until his death.

After graduation, Don moved to Austin to work for the State of Texas (Texas Water Quality Board) with his friend and college roommate, Bob Jones. Upon his departure from the state agency, Don spent almost the entirety of his career working at a succession of environmental consulting businesses owned and operated by Bob. Don was extremely grateful for the many business opportunities afforded to him by his long-time friend.

Don met his wife Meri, whom he loved dearly, in 1979 when they worked in the same state office building. They married in Austin on November 17, 1984. He and Meri moved to Corpus Christi (Meri’s hometown) in 1986 when Don accepted a position with Bob Jones’ company. They lived and worked in Corpus Christi until 2005, when they moved back to Austin and Don accepted a partnership in Bob’s company.

Until Don was robbed of much of his physical abilities late in life by Parkinson’s Disease, he was a lifelong athlete and outdoorsman and enjoyed a variety of sports. He and Paul grew up surfing the beaches at Galveston. In Austin, Don played softball as second baseman for over a decade with a group of good friends and teammates known as the H2Os. He also enjoyed windsurfing while living in Austin.

Upon moving to Corpus Christi, Don became an avid golfer and soon joined a small-but-dedicated group of handball players. He was also an enthusiastic birder and enjoyed both the variety of the local birds and the migrants on the Gulf Coast and in South Texas. He continued playing handball as long as he was able after moving back to Austin, and he enjoyed a boxing class for Parkinson’s patients late in life.

Don was also an avid camper, hiker and fisherman. He loved nothing more than hiking in the mountains and often talked about the perspective of being a very small part of the grand scheme of things when contemplating the majesty of nature. He also loved traveling in general, and he and Meri made the most of it, enjoying many adventures both in the US and abroad with good friends and family. One of his favorite places to visit and explore was his mother’s home country, where he still has beloved family.

Don was known by most people for being quiet and soft-spoken, but those closest to him also knew his kindness and strength. He was as even-tempered as they come and rarely lost his temper. In business, he was firm but fair. In personal relationships, he was honest but loving. He could always be counted on to be truthful, and he had a huge capacity for forgiveness. If you were lucky enough to be a good friend, you also knew that he was clever and had a wicked sense of humor. He could zing you a good one when you least expected it, always subtly and to the point, and never with malice, but always with a grin.

Don was predeceased by his father-in-law Jack Mehrens, and as chance would have it, they both died on December 11, although many years apart. Jack and “Donnie”, as Jack called him, had a deep and abiding love and respect for each other.

Don is survived by his devoted wife and care partner Meri, mother-in-law Phyllis Mehrens, brother Paul R. Nelson (Betty), sister Julie Nolan (Ron), brother-in-law Tom Mehrens (Fredra), brother-in-law Jay Mehrens (Peri), and sister-in-law Cara Mehrens (Jim Davis). He is also survived by nine nieces and nephews and ten great-nieces and nephews, all of whom have brought much love, laughter, and fun to their Uncle Don and Aunt Meri over the years.

The family wishes to thank the medical teams and staff of Neurology Solutions, St. David’s South Austin Medical Center, and St. David’s Hospice & Family Care for their caring attention to and treatment of Don during his illness.

The family also wishes to thank Funeral Director Harley L. Goebel and the staff of Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home for their assistance and kindness after Don’s death.

If you would like to honor Don’s life with a charitable gift, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM) (myhaam.org), Power for Parkinson’s (powerforparkinsons.org), Stronger than Parkinson’s (strongerthanparkinsons.org), or any non-profit of your choice.