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Jon Lars Nelson

Jon Lars Nelson of Branford died unexpectedly April 16. He was the beloved husband of 58 years to Valerie Pyrdol Nelson. Jon was born in Boston on Jan. 25, 1942, a son of the late Lars A. and Janet Peaslee Nelson.

Jon’s career was storied, proudly serving in the U.S. Air Force prior to dedicating a 44-year-long career as a quality engineer to Pratt & Whitney.

Joining Valerie, Jon is survived by his children, Lance (Caroline) Nelson of West Chester, Pennsylvania; Aimee (Mark) Blomster of North Branford, Kyle (Jen) Nelson of Branford, and Tasha (Kevin) Gosselin of Worcester, Massachusetts; his 11 grandchildren: Casey, Claire, Grace, Lucy, and Aaron Nelson, Lily and Luke Blomster, Hailey and Jack Nelson, and Cody and Camden Gosselin. He is also survived by his brother David Nelson of Lowell, Massachusetts.

Jon grew up in Needham, Massachusetts, and attended the local schools. He graduated in 1959 from Needham High School, where he lettered in football, basketball, and baseball and played trombone in the school band. Jon attended Boston University Junior College and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1964. He was trained as an automatic flight control systems technician and worked on fighter aircraft.

In 1964, Jon married Valerie Pyrdol, a Branford native, and they began to raise their vast family together while Jon was stationed on American military bases in the States and in Okinawa. Lance was born in 1965, the twins Kyle and Aimee in 1967, and Tasha in 1969, as the family moved to Branford. Jon enrolled in the University of New Haven and earned a bachelor of science material engineering degree, minoring in math and science, and a master’s degree in operational research. Pratt & Whitney employed him in 1968, and for the next 44 years, he functioned in a variety of high-level technical and supervisory positions. A man of unparalleled mind, aptitude, and passionate expertise, Jon was retained as a consultant to Pratt & Whitney following retirement.

Jon was a fierce patron of the local happenings of Branford, actively volunteering his time to countless communities in the town with the goal of helping them to be better. While his children were young, Jon coached youth sports and was a highly involved PTA president for the Eades Street School. It was his time spent in the former role that led Jon to become a founding member of Citizens for Excellence in Education, advocating endlessly before the Board of Education to improve the Branford School System. Jon’s impact was indelible, and ultimately, he was encouraged to run for a seat on the Branford Board of Education, a position that he tirelessly represented for eight years. His presence was immediately felt as he quickly earned the respect of Board members and the public for his thoughtful analysis of difficult situations and his untiring quest to improve public school education. During Jon’s tenure, he encouraged his colleagues on the Board to reorient their focus on the students and what was in their best interest, facilitating tremendous reinvestments into the arts. Reaching out beyond the normal class day, the Board supported and funded music, theater, and drama, attracting students who were not involved in sports—the impact of which may still be recognized today in Branford’s robust arts programs. Jon’s Board of Education tenure resulted in all K-4 students having physical education and music, as well as having access to services such as librarians, nurses, psychologists, and social workers. For his uncompromised commitment to the betterment of Branford’s young learners, Jon was inducted into the Branford Education Hall of Fame in 2013.

In Jon’s eyes, nothing made him prouder than the success and well-being of his children and grandchildren. Jon and Valerie together attended countless athletic events, recitals, musicals, and college visits—there was no distance too far for Jon to travel if it meant seeing his family do well. Jon was also an avid golfer and cherished annual trips to Myrtle Beach with his dear friends. During the summers, Jon journeyed to the beaches of Saco, Maine, with his family and often could be found with a Stephen King novel in hand. Jon, together with Valerie, maintained their gorgeous home gardens and impressive Christmas light decorations. Those closest to Jon may remember his innovative, crafty side, and his personalized painted buoys have decorated too many dorm rooms and households to count. Jon will be missed deeply, though his impact and legacy have been instilled in his family and will continue to grow on forever.

Relatives and friends were invited to visiting hours on April 20 at the W. S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home, 244 North Main Street, Branford. His funeral departed the funeral home on April 21 for a Mass of Christian burial in St. John Bosco Parish at St. Mary Church, 731 Main Street, Branford. Burial followed in St. Agnes Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959. For the online memorial, see www.wsclancy.com.