Clarence Vera Clan: Robert Clarence Nelson

Obituary

Robert C. Nelson

March 2, 1928 - Jan. 7, 2012

Bob Nelson, 83 of Boise, loving husband, father, brother and decorated war hero, died January 7, 2012 at Marquis Friendship House, Boise. He was born March 2, 1928 at Oakley, Idaho, son of Clarence and Ila Poulton Nelson. He was reared in Oakley with seven sisters. At his age 14, on a hot and dusty day plowing their farm field, he looked up and saw an airplane flying over his head. He said to himself "That is what I want to be."

He began saving every cent he earned for flying lessons. At age eighteen, he and four other classmates joined the marines and in a year they earned GI Bill benefits for education. Bob went on to attend the University of Utah and BYU earning a degree and more importantly for him, a commission in the United States Air Force.

He went on to earn his wings and was a fighter pilot. Bob was recruited mid way through his career in the early days of the space program to be an astronaut and he turned them down flat. He had no interest in training for most of his life for the possibility of one space flight. He just wanted to fly.

Over his flying years he survived two plane crashes. He flew 100 missions over Viet Nam in F-105s in 1967 and 1968. He was awarded the several Distinguished Flying Crosses and the prestigious Silver Star for valor. He spent many years at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, as an instructor combat tactics to other fighter pilots.

Another highlight in his career was serving, as Chief of Flight Safety for over 4500 men stationed at Air Forces bases in Europe, he was instrumental in reducing the accident rate by 80%. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Award for that accomplishment.

Bob is survived by his wife, Claudia Tidwell Nelson, his son, Steven Nelson, two daughters, Robyn Nelson King and Kathy Mary Nelson Brewer, eight grandchildren, one great-granddaughter, sister Carol Handy of Glenns Ferry, and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, six sisters, Myrna, Betty, Bea, Wanda, LeRae, and Wilma, and a son Michael.

Viewings will be held from 5pm to 7pm, Thursday, Jan 12th and from 9am to 9:45am, Friday, Jan 13, 2012 with funeral services following at 10am. at the LDS church at 6032 N. Five Mile (corner Chinden and 5 Mile), Boise. A viewing will also be held from 2:30 to 3pm, Friday at the Oakley Stake Center, Oakley, Idaho. Burial, next to his son Michael, will follow at 3:30 pm at Oakley Cemetery.

Condolences may be made at www.bowmanfuneral.com . or to see a video of his life at www.robertcnelson.weebly.com

Published in Idaho Statesman on January 11, 2012

Funeral Program

LIFE SKETCH GIVEN BY STEVE NELSON:

Dad (Robert Clarence Nelson) was born in Oakley Idaho March 2, 1928 to Clarence LeRoy Nelson and Ila Vera Poulton. Dad was blessed to have 7 awesome sisters – Myrna Franks, Bea Smith, LeRae Warr, Wanda Critchfield, Betty Shelby, Wilma Parish, and Carol Handy. Dad was preceded in death by his parents, his oldest son, Michael Clarence and all his sisters except for Aunt Carol. Dad has three surviving children, me Robyn King and Kathy Brewer. He has 8 grand children and one great child with another due in March. He is survived by his beloved wife Claudia.

His Legacy is Faith in and Duty to God, Country and Family! He was a Loving Son, Brother, Cousin, Friend, Husband, Father, Uncle and Grand Father. He was a true patriot who loved his country and served it courageously. Dad had the “Right Stuff” and loved sports and was very athletic. He played football in high school. He was a pretty good cowboy and pretty tough. I base that on my observations and while I wasn’t there – the fact that he boxed some in the Marine Corps...I mean it isn’t like the Marine Corps isn’t tough already but he has to box too... but that wasn’t quite exciting enough – the Marine Corps did not have any way of hitting the speed of sound then... so Dad joined the Air Force.

Dad retired from the Air Force as a distinguished decorated combat fighter pilot with the rank of Lt

Col.

Dad was a great pilot that loved to drive the way he flew jets - really fast. His love for speed was evident by the fact that he was the first from Idaho to break the sound barrier in an F-100. He was the first to fly an F-105 March 2. Dad could have flown with the Air Force’s precision flying team – The Thunderbirds but opted not to so he could spend more time with his family. He liked fast cars and owned a couple of Porsche’s that saw a lot of headlights in the rear view mirror... and there were rumors that every once in a while he would try to see if the Porsche could fly. I know Uncle LaDell and others have experienced his fast driving. I am sure I have some of Dad’s speed genes because I remember trying to find out myself if the white Porsche would fly...and I can report while I couldn’t get it to fly – it seemed like it was! It must be that speed gene that caused me to love to skydive... I liked the ride up in a plane or helicopter but then jumping out was where the fun was. If Dad’s car wasn’t built to go fast, he figured out a way to make it that way. He loved working on engines and was very mechanically inclined. Robyn reminded me that Dad loved being in Europe and it seemed like heaven because where else could you drive 100 or more and not get a ticket except on the Autobahns! If that was almost heaven, then the other side of heaven was driving triple digits in the

USA

and getting stopped by law enforcement and then getting let go without a ticket... because Dad was on his way to serve his country as a fighter pilot in the Vietnam War.

He was a very good snow and water skier and could really carve the water on one ski! He was excellent water skiing with a saucer too. When I was small he would let me sit between his legs on the saucer and he would be doing 360’s and skiing backwards while we were flying across the water. Aunt Carol told me that he was at Red Fish lake and was still water skiing well at 70...

That reminded me of a time that Dad and I were snow skiing (we were trying to ski like Jerolyn) and we were catching our breath after we had gone on a pretty long run and he said - remember this when you are 60...OK Dad, I’m really close and what can I say except – Dad, U Da Man! We used to go to Lake Mead quite often and loved fishing and water skiing there. That was courtesy of Uncle Dale Shelby who let Dad use their boat. Usually, Dad and Mike and I would go out early and fish and then we would go in to refuel and pick up Mom and the girls later in the afternoon and have a picnic. I remember a couple of times coming home with some really big fish and we would fill our bath tub and they would swim until it was time for filets. I remember Dad would wake Mike and I up really early and we would go to the lake or river or stream fishing too. He was a really good table tennis player having played a lot on the flight line with other fighter pilots. We used to have some epic table tennis and squash battles and we enjoyed tennis too.

Dad was good at just about every sport he tried with the one exception of golf.... but that never stopped us from enjoying that sweet misery together. We always got more than our fair share of mulligans. Dad really enjoyed golfing with Uncle LaDell and we all enjoyed getting schooled by Jerry Johnson.... and by Eric Mai when he was in AZ. I remember when Dad would fly to Japan and bring the girls back really nice dolls and Mike and I would get baseball gloves and balls. Dad was a scary good baseball player too. He taught me how to pitch. I still remember pitching to him many evenings after he came home from work and then we would finish off with a heart pounding fear producing game of burnout (throwing the baseball as hard as you could to each other)! I don’t know if I did any damage to Dad in those games but he would really bring the heat and put the fear into me!

Family was always important to Dad! Most of our family’s fondest memories were coming to Idaho every summer to stay a month with our Grandma, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins! We loved being with the Franks, Critchfields, Warrs, Smiths, Parishs, Shelbys, Handys and Grandma Loveland. We loved going to the fair and horse races with Uncle Oel and having scones with Aunt Wilma, and bringing lizards from Las Vegas and leaving them at Parishes and catching frogs in their pond and swinging over it... I remember the frogs we caught were burned up by the Nevada desert before we could get them home. We loved riding horses with Uncle Dale and Uncle LaDell and the cousins, going to the Oakley Dam, City of Rocks, Goosecreek, hunting rabbits and playing golf with Aunt Carol and Aunt Betty and water skiing on the Snake River with the Handy’s boat or going to the rodeo in Rupert, Burley or Oakley. We loved to gather to visit at the Smith’s and help Uncle Theron feed the horses and cows or do other chores. We loved going to Uncle Quints and Aunt LaRae’s Drive In to visit and enjoy their food. We loved visiting with the Critchfields and being fed and spoiled by Aunt Wanda and having Uncle Nile look at us over the top of his glasses and hear Scott’s and Jeff’s stories about Willie the dog. We loved visiting with the Franks and seeing their bulls and riding a half barrel down the irrigation ditch that ran in front of their and the Critchfield’s place in Oakley.

Dad loved traveling and took us all over Europe – to the Eifel tower, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, to the tulip gardens of Holland, to the Alps and to Hitler’s Eagle Nest in Bertesgarten, Bavaria. We visited the cemetery’s where those that made the ultimate sacrifice so we can enjoy the freedom and liberty we enjoy today! Yes, family was important to Dad!

Dad was a hard worker and developed many talents including, singing, playing the trumpet, guitar, and piano. He could speak pretty good German. He enjoyed good entertainment and he was a great dancer. He liked having fun and roughhousing around. I remember for quite awhile we would love to catch each other taking a hot shower and then sneak in and throw a cup of ice cold water on each other and then we would hit each other in the arm or frog each other. Dad could be quite dramatic too... I remember Mom had just taken us to see the doctor on the main street in Oakley and we got some candy and came downstairs and walked out of the building when we heard and saw this screaming jet right above us diving on main street then pull up a very short distance away and break the sound barrier and then it was gone as quick as it came... WOW! I was thinking.... do that again Dad!

Whenever I see jet fighters I think of Dad with the fondest memories. I remember two occasions that were really impressive. I used to live in Yuma, AZ and there was a big bombing range not far away. I was driving on a deserted spot on the freeway just after the sun rose and here comes two jets flying about 75 feet above ground screaming right in front of me on their way to drop ordinance on the range! WoW! Another time we were on a scout outing in Death Valley – we were on top the highest sand dune in the US early in the morning and out of nowhere these two F16’s came screaming right by us. We were actually at a higher elevation than they were and we watched waved and yelled and screamed as they roared past us and then did some barrel rolls turned and were gone! I thought... that is just what my Dad would do... go where no one would be and open that jet up and see what it could really do!

Dad was a man of faith and service. He was active all his life in the Church. He led by example. I remember as a young boy in Las Vegas going with Dad to the Church’s welfare farm all the time to perform service. He would cut, rake and bale hay and work on other farm projects. I remember Dad putting me in his lap and teaching me how to drive the swather. He worked tirelessly on Church building projects in Nevada and Germany. Dad was a committed leader and he touched many lives. Dad you have the right stuff and thank you for your legacy of faith in and Duty to God, country and family. You will be missed until we meet again. I will close with my Dad’s favorite poem High Flight (Printed on the program.)

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .

Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or ever eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

John Gillespie Magee Jr.

Pictures & Videos of Graveside Service in Oakley Friday Jan. 13, 2012

Follow this link for videos of the Hill Air Force Base Military Honors
1. Carrying the Casket 2. Folding the Flag 3. 9 Gun Salute and Bugle 4. P51 Flying Over