Community Corner
Former North Caldwell Councilman, Mayor Dies at 87
As mayor, Dick Nelson coined the phrase describing North Caldwell as the 'Green Jewel of Essex County.'
Former North Caldwell councilman and mayor Dick Nelson passed away Monday in his home.
Nelson, 87, of North Caldwell, was elected to the North Caldwell Borough Council in 1972 and served for 28 years as both councilman and mayor.
Nelson was born on June 23, 1925, in Brookline, Mass. As a boy, he attended the Farm and Trades School on Thompson’s Island in Boston and graduated from Boston English High School in 1942.
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Nelson served aboard the destroyer, USS Walke DD-723 in the South Pacific from 1943-46 and was awarded 5 Battle Stars.
In 1951, he graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in Chemical Engineering and worked in research, sales and marketing for GAF, FMC, National Distillers, Kay-Fries Chemicals and Napp Technologies from which he retired in 1996.
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He was a past president of the Chemical Industry Association, Chemical Marketing and Economics Group and a member of the Drug Chemical and Allied Trades Association.
Nelson was Chairman of the North Caldwell Skating Pond for many years and was a coach for the Viking Football team. During his time serving as councilman and mayor, Nelson chaired the Recreation Committee and was instrumental in the construction of the borough’s pool and tennis courts, Liberty Field Complex and other facilities in town.
As Mayor, he coined the phrase describing North Caldwell as the “Green Jewel of Essex County."
Nelson was a wonderful husband and father who loved to organize and work with people. He was predeceased by Georgia, his wife of 58 years.
He is survived by his sister, Dorothy Quadros of New Hampshire; son, Guyon W. Nelson, of West Caldwell, and his wife, Marianne, and their children, James, Elizabeth and Georgie; son, Dr. Richard O. Nelson, of New Providence, and his wife Jody and their children, Richard Jr., Sarah, Julia and Russell.
Services for Nelson will be held on Sunday, June 23 at 1 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Caldwell.
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