J. Gordon Nelson

Jul 13, 1912 – Jun 6, 1987

Veteran educator dies at 74

J. Gordon Nelson, 74, of 1420 Sunnymede Ave., the first principal of LaSalle High School and former administrator with the South Bend Community School Corp., died at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Memorial Hospital after an illness. Mr. Nelson was a teacher at Washington High School from 1936 to 1943; taught at Adams High School from 1945 until 1956, where he served as assistant principal until 1965; was principal at LaSalle High School from 1965 to 1971 and was supervisor of pupil services and math coordinator for the South Bend Community School Corp. from 1971 until his retirement in 1977.

He was born July 13, 1912, in South Bend and was a lifelong area resident. On Jan. 1, 1941, in Muncie, Ind., he married Natalie Walters, who survives. Also surviving are a daughter, Brenda Dunlap of Cincinnati; two sons, Eric of Richmond, Va., and Stephen of South Bend; five grandchildren; two sisters, Lillian Maffitt of South Bend and Helen Martin of Lighthouse Point, Fla.; and a brother, Wallace Nelson of Chapel Hill, N.C.

Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at River Park United Methodist Church. Cremation will take place. Friends may call from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at Forest G. Hay Funeral Home, 235 S. Ironwood Drive.

Mr. Nelson received his undergraduate degree from Ball State University, Muncie, and a master's degree in education from Indiana University. He was a member of the church, Elks Lodge, past member of Kiwanis and volunteer for Meals on Wheels. He was a World War II veteran, serving in the Army Air Corps.

Memorial contributions may be made to the church or National Foundation for Ileitis and Colitis Inc.

Sources: Ancestry.com, Newspapers.com and FindAGrave.com

07/25/2025 EJS

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/200275080/john_gordon-nelson