Lt Gen Michael A Nelson USAF Ret's Obituary
Lt Gen Michael A Nelson (USAF Ret) passed away peacefully on his 87th birthday, Oct. 8, 2024, from complications due to mesothelioma.
Mike was born in East Los Angeles, CA but spent most of his youth in Calexico, CA. He had fond memories of riding his bike around town, listening to Stanford football games on his transistor radio and walking across the border to Mexicali with his family to get ‘good Chinese food.’ His family moved to San Antonio before his senior year in high school, where he graduated from Alamo Heights Senior High in 1955. He attended Stanford University where he met many life-long friends, especially his fraternity brothers in Delta Upsilon.
Mike always had a love of airplanes and flying. While registering for classes as an undergraduate at Stanford, he noticed a particular line was shorter than the one he was in, so he moved over to the shorter line and, as a result, enrolled in the Air Force ROTC. That decision changed the trajectory of Mike’s life.
Mike graduated from Stanford in 1959 and started training to be an Air Force fighter pilot. Over his 35 years in the Air Force, Mike was a command pilot with over 3,500 flying hours in F-100s, F-105s, A-7s, F-4s, F-15s and F-16s. During the Vietnam conflict, he flew 100 missions over North Vietnam and was a proud member of the Wild Weasels. Mike earned his Master’s Degree in Comparative Government from the University of Arizona in 1969, and was a proud graduate of the National War College, Class of 1976. Mike was a natural leader and rose through the officer ranks culminating in his promotion to Lieutenant General in 1991. He loved being a commander and was fortunate to do so five times in his career, his last time as the commander of the 9th Air Force at Shaw AFB. His final flight was in an F-16 at the age of 56, a wonderful gift for someone who loved to fly. Mike retired from the Air Force in August
1994.
Because service to country was so important to Mike, in retirement he became the president of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), from 1995 to 2002. Mike found great fulfillment in honoring MOAA’s mission of aiding military retirees, through member and family support and legislative advocacy.
As much as he enjoyed flying and serving his country in the Air Force, Mike’s greatest love was his family. In college, he found himself falling in love with his best friend’s sister, Barbie Wigdale. They married in 1962 and together they forged a partnership that lasted almost 60 years, until Barbie’s death in
2022. They brought the best out of each other while enjoying life to the fullest. They hosted the best parties, travelled extensively and took advantage of all that their circumstances offered them. Mike loved Sunday night dinners
with a grilled steak, corn on the cob, Caesar salad and a good bottle of red wine; Nats baseball; classical music and, in his later years, sitting in his favorite blue chair at night and watching the approach patterns into Dulles.
Over 30 years ago, Mike and Barbie started hosting ‘Corona’ family reunions every other year in the summer at the Outer Banks. The entire family would gather for a week of laughter, beach and pool time, talent nights, Connect Four tournaments and morning coffee and donuts. Starting with the initial Corona, which included their children and spouses, to the most recent, featuring children and spouses, grandchildren and their spouses and great- grandchildren, the memories made at Nelson Coronas are too numerous to count, and have led to a closeness of the family that few families get to enjoy.
Mike was a man of great integrity who found honor and took pride in serving our country. He expected the best out of himself as well as those around him.
He was an exceptional leader and faithful friend.
Mike is survived by four children: Wendy (Jim) Miller, Holly (Mike) Blais, Tracy (Chris) Herwig, and Michael A Nelson, Jr (Becky). He was a beloved Bompa to his eleven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sisters, Linda Simms and Marilyn McClees, and his brother, Tom Nelson, as well as numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held for Mike at Falcons Landing on November 1, 2024 at 2pm. As is fitting, Mike and Barbie will be interred together at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be given in Mike’s name to the MOAA Scholarship Fund, the National Symphony Orchestra or the charity of your choice.
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