H. Wayne Nelson

H. Wayne Nelson, age 94, a resident of Lone Tree, Colorado passed away peacefully on April 1, 2020. He was born December 30, 1925 in Ogden, Utah. Upon graduation from Ogden High School, Wayne elisted in the US Army Air Corps and attended Missouri State Teachers College in Springfield, MO. Upon his honorable discharge, Wayne lived and worked for the US Air Force in Mesa, AZ and he became a member of the AZ Air National Guard. He continued to work for the US Air Force at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, NV. In October 1953, Wayne was hired by the RAND Corp. in Santa Monica, CA to work on Advanced Computing Systems for the US Air Force Logistical Command, known as AFGEN. He worked on the RAND project in Santa Monica and Tinker Air Force Base, Midwest City, OK where he was Program Director. He oversaw the installation of this computing system for the Strategic Air Force Command Jet engines through their life cycle. During these years, Wayne met and married his wife of 62 years, Mary Ann Murphy, a resident of Oklahoma City, OK. In October 1963, the Family moved to Michigan when Wayne was hired by the Burroughs Corp. to develop Technical Application Development Centers for support of the Marketing Plan. He organized three Centers in the USA and Centers in France, England, India, New Zealand. They were responsible for the development of computer applications in Industrial, Advanced, Mathematical and Financial Applications. He became Director National Account Marketing to develop Long Range Marketing Plans. During these years, Wayne is remembered by his colleagues for his “Blue Smoke Special” presentations. He was the Director of Strategic Planning for the Financial Division when he decided to retire in March, 1989. Upon retirement, Wayne and Mary Ann built their retirement home in Santa Fe, NM. He volunteered with the SF SCORE Chapter as a consultant and a participant with their Business Management Seminars. Wayne volunteered with the Santa Fe National Forest, SFNF. He was a Chairman of the Committee that organized the SFNF Site Steward Program and a Training Program. In 2014, Wayne and Mary Ann moved to Lone Tree, CO to be close to their son and his family. In his memory, the family suggests donations to the SFNF Site Steward Foundation Inc., P.O. Box 32224, Santa Fe, NM 87594

Preceded in Death by: Parents Clarence H. Nelson, and Selma Ada Munson, sister Lorraine (Nelson) Vance.

Survived by his wife, Mary Ann (Murphy) Nelson, son Robert D. Nelson (Diane), daughter Raleigh F. (Nelson), Baughman (George K. Jr.), six Grandchildren: Kiana (Nelson), Kinashuk (Chris), Janessa Nelson, Mathias Nelson, Savanah Nelson, Isadora Baughman, Fiona Baughman. Sister, Irma L. Ast (Donald), of Ogden, UT, extended family, James & Patricia Murphy, Joyce Murphy, Marty Hancock, Roger Pile, Jane Worsley and many nieces and nephews.