Ervin Reino Nelson, Jr., passed away on Sunday, April 2, 2023, after a stoic and lengthy battle with Lewy Body Dementia. Ervin was born December 22, 1944, in New London, New Hampshire, the son of Ervin R. Nelson, Sr. and Lana (Harreck) Nelson.

He spent his formative years in Andover, and graduated from Proctor Academy in 1962. Ervin attended New England College, graduating in 1967, with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics. He spent the next few years of his life in the United States Army, serving in South Korea, before returning home to Andover. 

Ervin worked most of his life in the construction industry as a superintendent for some of the larger site work companies in New Hampshire. Ervin was an accomplished skier and raced as a member/captain of the ski teams at Proctor Academy and New England College. He was also a member of the Mt. Sunapee ski patrol for many years. Ervin played many sports through the years including baseball, hockey, football and softball. He enjoyed being outdoors and spent many years hunting and fishing, as well as cutting his own wood and building stone walls at his home in Pembroke, where he and his wife, Gail, have lived since 1983. He became a great cook and made many wonderful meals for family and friends when they would visit, celebrating holidays, birthdays and other special occasions. Ervin also liked to bake and everyone especially enjoyed his delicious apple pies. Christmas Eve’s “breakfast for dinner” in Christmas pajamas was a special event for Ervin’s grandchildren.

Ervin and his wife, Gail, enjoyed more than 43 years of traveling together, both domestically and abroad. They fell in love with Zermatt, Switzerland, while on their honeymoon in 1985, and returned a number of times with family and friends. Through the years, they visited many other countries in Europe, incorporating genealogy into their travel plans. Ervin was able to visit the birthplaces of several of his grandparents in Finland, Germany, and the Czech Republic. Ervin and Gail spent many winter vacations in the Caribbean and Mexico, and took longer trips to Tahiti, Hawaii and Alaska. They made several cross country driving trips to visit family, which included skiing at Lake Tahoe, Sun Valley, Jackson Hole, Loveland, Taos, and Banff-Lake Louise ski areas.

Ervin’s parents predeceased him. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Gail (Hazleton) Nelson of Pembroke; his son Mark A. Nelson and wife, Rebecca L. (Bean) Nelson, granddaughters, Sydney L. Nelson and Izabella L. Nelson, all of Weare; sisters, Marlene L. Allison, of Owl’s Head, Maine, and Sandra L. Nelson, of Andover; nephews Todd A. Goings, of Andover, and Gregory S. Goings, his wife, Michelle, and their children, Jacob and Emily Goings, all of St. Johns, Florida; sisters-in-law June D. Hazleton and partner, Ann M. Westaway of Sebastopol, California, Sandra J. Leach and husband, James B. Leach of San Francisco, California, Patricia W. Bennett and husband, David H. Bennett of Bayview, Idaho; brother-in-law, John B. Hazleton, Jr., of Vernal, Utah; nephew, John B. Hazleton, III, of Orlando, Florida; nieces Anastacia (Leach) Maggioncalda and husband, Steven, of San Rafael, California, Amy (Leach) Harris and husband, Kyle, of Twin Falls, Idaho, Kristen (Bennett) Marble and husband, John, of Indianapolis, Indiana, and Kathryn (Bennett) Anderson and husband, Aaron, of Wenatchee, Washington; many great-nieces and great-nephews, and Donna J. Hazleton of Keene.

In keeping with Ervin’s wishes and quiet ways, there will be no calling hours nor services. Ervin’s brain has been donated to the Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center in order to further research on Lewy Body Dementia and other brain diseases. In memory of Ervin, charitable donations may be made directly to the Lewy Body Dementia Association: lbda.org/donate.
To leave a condolence, or to share a memory with Ervin’s family, please visit cournoyerfh.com.