Colonel Nelson

Nelson, Charles Robert Col USAF (ret) aged 95 passed away on May 12, 2011 at his home in Laredo, Texas after a brief illness. Born in San Diego California on November 24 1915, Colonel Nelson was preceded in death by parents Sydney Robert Nelson and Ruth Roberts Nelson, wives Marguerite Luh Nelson and Carmen Valls Nelson and son Robert Templeton Nelson. He is survived by his son Charles Laurence (Sandra) Nelson, granddaughter Susan (Tim) Hudson, great grandson Derek Hudson and brothers-in-law Alfonzo (Doris) Valls, John (Gladys) Valls and William (Minerva) Valls.

Charles Robert Nelson grew up in Rancho Santa Fe, California. He graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1939 and taught high school in Encinitas California for two years.-He joined the California State Guard in 1941, the U S Army Air Corps in 1942 and the U S Air Force Reserves in 1947. After a brief post-war experience of selling real estate in Rancho Santa Fe with his father Sydney, he was called back to active duty during the Korean conflict and remained on active duty in the U S Air Force until his retirement in 1970. His active duty service included World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

After his retirement, he and his wife Carmen Valls Nelson moved to her home Laredo, Texas where he became actively involved in community affairs. He served on the Laredo Public Library Board from 1978 to 1986, the City of Laredo Board of Equalization in 1981, and the Webb County Appraisal Review Board from 1982 to 1990.

Colonel Nelson is also survived by nephews and nieces Richard (Sandra) Valls, Jose (Josie) Guerra, Laura (Kenneth) Adler, Josefina Levander, Ricardo (Suzanne) Guerra, Luis (Lydia) Guerra, Anna (Robert) Nudleman, Angela (Carlos) Cuellar, Gabriella (Steven) Kirchner, Miguel (Sylvia) Valls, Jr., Alice (Jerry) Blanco, Emma Valls, Louis (Angela) Valls, Anthony Hughes, Charmayne Hughes, Jeannine Hughes, Cynthia Ann (Kyle) Hunter Valls, Patrick (Jodie) Valls, Kenneth Valls, Mark Valls, Edward Valls, John (Valerie) Valls Jr., Antonio (Sherri) Valls, Larry (Elizabeth) Valls, Maureen Valls, William (Caren) Valls Jr., and Mary Theresa (Kenneth) Trevino. He is also survived by his caregivers Belen Salas, Mona Alcaraz, Jose Jaime and Emma Fernandez.