Nelson Word

Nelson Word was born October 19, 1941, in Corpus Christi to Lester Landon Word (Frog) and Ruby Ines (Ned) Word. His father was a pipeline welder, and his mother was a beautician. Nelson passed away on November 2, 2025, in San Angelo.

His late brother, Larry Word was born in 1945 in McCamey, TX and he was 65 when he died in San Angelo.

The family moved to San Angelo in 1954, a year after the tornado, and Nelson attended school at Lake View, graduating from there in 1960. He attended San Angelo Junior College and graduated from there in 1962, then he went to the University of Texas at Austin, graduating in 1965 with a BS in Science and Education. He married Pat Dulin in 1964 and their son, Grant L. Word, was born in 1965. Their daughter, Kristine Word, was born in 1969 and passed away in 2017.

Nelson taught school and coached in Eldorado and Fredericksburg, then went to work at State Farm Insurance’s office in June of 1968 and retired from there in September of 2004.

After his divorce from Pat, he married Linda Wood, the sister of his closest friend, Gene Wood, who had attended Lake View with him. Their son Calvin was born in 1981, and he remains here in San Angelo and is married to Lisa, and they have two daughters: Jade, 22 and Chase, 18.

Nelson was the spark plug for the class reunions starting in 1980 and always emceed them until the last one in 2024. Over time, these reunions encompassed more groups, the 2024 one being comprised of graduates from 1958 to 1962. He stayed in contact with quite a number of Lake View graduates and has a wide array of friends here in San Angelo. In 1998, he married Beth Battad, who had grown up in the Philippines and when Shannon Hospital set up a program to bring Filipino nurses to work there, she helped with the banking services.

In addition to the reunions, he has been active in a dearly loved 12 Step program for over 30 years and taught a Sunday School Class at College Hills Baptist Church for years. He also served as a Big Brother. His hobbies have been buying collectibles, writing, photography, and art and he has written exclusively about each. He was proud of the kind of citizens his children had become. When asked who he most admired, he answered, “My father, for always doing what was right.” His response to a question as to how he’d like to be remembered, he said “As somebody who cared about others.” Since he certainly did, no doubt his many friends and family members will carry his memory throughout their lives.

A visitation is scheduled for Friday, November 7, 2025, from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at Harper Funeral Home. The funeral service will be held on Saturday, November 8, 2025, at 10:00 AM at Harper Funeral Home Chapel and the burial will follow at Lawnhaven Memorial Gardens. A reception will be held at College Hills Baptist church following the graveside service.