William Nelson

William E. Nelson Jr.

November 30, 1917 - March 10, 2011

William (Bill) E. Nelson, Jr., 93, of Waco, passed away Thursday, March 10, 2011 in Webster, Texas. Services will be 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 15, 2011 at First United Methodist Church in Waco, Texas with Rev. Wayne Williams and Rev. Lee Roark officiating. Burial will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery, Killeen, Texas, Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the OakCrest Funeral Home.

W.E. Nelson was born in Gunter, Texas to William E. Nelson Sr. and Zula Eveline Caldwell Nelson. He was orphaned very early in life after his mother was stricken with tuberculosis, forcing him to live on the streets, and with relatives and foster parents. Despite these difficulties, he continued to attend school and graduated from Celina High School in Celina, Texas. He was popular among his peers in school and elected as the president of his class, starred in the class play and played quarterback for the famed Celina High School football team. A standout athlete in high school, Mr. Nelson was recruited to attend North Texas State Teachers College, Denton, on a football scholarship where he studied to be a coach.

After the United States was attacked by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor, Mr. Nelson felt a calling to serve his country and volunteered for the United States Army Air Corps. He was based in Italy during the Spring and Summer of 1944 and completed 50 missions with his crewmates as a top turret gunner on a B-24 Liberator. Together they attacked some of Europe's most well protected and important targets while in the air over Northern Italy, Hungary, France, Yugoslavia, Romania and Germany. They regularly faced heavy flak, dodged enemy rockets and were attacked by and shot down German fighters. They often saw planes in their squadron shot down from the air next to them and returned their plane home from missions riddled with holes from enemy fire. After receiving damage enough to retire their first plane, the crew finished their missions in their second plane, Connie Lou. Mr. Nelson and his fellow crewmates risked their lives daily, and in turn played a vital role in helping to cripple the Nazi German Army, allowing the American ground forces to move swiftly towards the German capitol of Berlin, ending World War II in the European Theatre.

For his service, Mr. Nelson was awarded several medals of honor after being honorably discharged, but chose not to pursue receiving them because he was too humble to believe he should "make a fuss about them." In an effort to show their deepest admiration for his service, Mr. Nelson's friends and family held a reception in 2007 where he was presented those medals 62 years later by local Waco area military activist and veteran, Robert Carter.



After returning to civilian life, Mr. Nelson worked for the Veterans Administration Regional Office in Dallas and then in Waco for more than 30 years, where he was passionately dedicated to insuring that veterans received the benefits that they had earned from their service. After retirement from the VA, Mr. Nelson avidly shared the lives of his grandchildren, loved to work in his garden, interacting with the birds and animals in his backyard and traveled with his bride of 58 years. Mr. Nelson was an active member of First United Methodist Church of Waco and a beloved member of his Sunday School Class.


Mr. and Mrs. Nelson were always available to help neighbors, friends, family, fellow church members and even total strangers. It seemed that no task was too daunting if someone was in need. The kindness they showed their fellow man was repaid to Mr. Nelson during the last years of his life when he was forced to take dialysis. A team of friends, neighbors and church members never failed to deliver him to and return him from dialysis three times a week and provide weekly dinners to him for more than three years.



Mr. Nelson was preceded in death by his wife, Leola Hill Nelson, and son Scott Winfred Nelson, his parents, his brothers, Jim, Buster, Lee and Spencer Nelson; and sister, Ruth Nelson Alexander.

Mr. Nelson is survived by two daughters and their husbands, Constance and Tom Pothier of San Leon, Texas, Sally and Bobby Mc Gowan of Spring, Texas and son, William E. Nelson III of Houston, Texas. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Jason S.M. Smith, Whitney Smith-Nelson, Sarah McGowan, Sean McGowan, Alissa Nelson, Jon Nelson, Keith Nelson and Michael Nelson; extended granddaughters, Stephanie Carter, Kelci Carter and Kaitlin Carter, and great nieces Karen Luschar and Jill Rodamer, as well as several generations of nieces and nephews that dearly loved their Uncle W.E.

The family requests memorials may be made to the National Kidney Foundation, the Prayer & Praise Sunday School Class Haiti House Fund at First United Methodist Church, Waco, the McLennan County Veterans Association (Attn: Dr.Mike O'Brick, 648 Ivy Ann Dr. Waco, TX 76712) or a charity of your choice.