Leroy Carlisle Nelson

Leroy “Roy” Nelson, Ret. CDR US Navy, 87, passed away peacefully at his home in Poway on April 6, 2018, with his wife, Jean, at his side. He was born in New Berlin, NY on June 6, 1930. While he was in high school and at Penn State, he worked various jobs, both on campus and as a butcher in his father’s butcher shop. He did whatever it took to assure his education. He was an active member of the ROTC in high school which led to his desire to become a career military officer and enlisted in the Navy on August 9, 1952. Over his 23 year distinguished career as a US Navy pilot, he flew many different aircraft, but, his favorite, the F4 Phantom was what he flew, participating in many missions over Vietnam. He was highly decorated, having held various positions in many locations from Stutgard, Germany to Quantico, Virginia to the Pentagon where his duties included assignment to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Roy is survived by Jean, his wife of 27 years, a blended family including six children and numerous grandchildren, and his cat, “Miracle”. His son reports that “He really was the best father a man could be.” At his different duty stations, he took his kids on Saturday outings saying “When in Rome, do as the Romans.” They toured the Capital Mall in DC, the beautiful countryside of Germany, and visited castles and sights all over Europe.

He and Jean met when he was drinking morning coffee and she was job training an individual with disabilities in a café in Coronado. When he and jean were first together, she introduced him to all of her (soon to be “their”) causes including the First United Methodist Church’s food projects and homeless shelter programs, feeding the homeless on Christmas Eves, making jams for church bazaars, and building houses in Tijuana with Jimmy Carter and Habitat for Humanity. They traveled together all over the US and Europe and especially enjoyed their timeshares. He loved the theatre, reading the paper, good books, going to the movies, and playing cards with the church group.

A loving and principled gentleman will be missed by all who knew him.