Victor H. Nutter

Victor Herbert Nutter, 83, of Ormond Beach, Florida, (formerly of Hopewell Junction, NY), passed away peacefully at Halifax Health Hospice Daytona Beach Florida on Friday, March 27, 2026. Victor was the beloved husband of Karen Wilkinson who currently resides at the Solaris Daytona Beach nursing home.

Born in Peoria, Illinois, Victor moved a few times while growing up through high school. He lived on rural farms with his parents and later with his father and his stepmother. In the high school years, he had a horse named Cricket which he rode bareback. Eventually he sold Cricket for $400 and bought his first car with the money. Victor was quiet by nature and a very good student.

After high school, Victor, with the help of his father, got a job at Caterpillar Company. Due to his attitude and intelligence Caterpillar offered to pay for his college if he agreed to work for them when he graduated but the truth was, he had to study Mechanical Engineering vs Electrical Engineering which he preferred. Consequently, he pursued that path and eventually also received a master's degree in environmental science.

His career at Caterpillar was interrupted by enlisting in the Air Force. He quickly rose to the rank of Sergent and went to Vietnam in 1967. He was stationed at a base in Tuy Hoa, Vietnam. On one occasion he and a dozen other men were ordered to go out into a field which had been sprayed with agent orange that was used to defoliate the surrounding area. It was not clear why he was sent into the field, but exposure to this chemical is the source of his COPD as he never smoked. This exposure created permanent damage in his lungs.

After the service Victor returned to the Caterpillar Company and eventually left Caterpillar to work for a nuclear power plant in Connecticut. His next professional position was at Indian Point nuclear power plant in Buchanan, NY. It was at this facility that he developed a new method for cleaning up hazardous waste and received two U.S. patents for these designs.

While in Connecticut Victor met Karen Wilkinson at a Holiday Inn dance in East Hartford, CT. They were married on Aug 8, 1980. Karen retired from Allstate Insurance and somewhere around the early 2000's they moved to Florida eventually settling in Ormond Beach around 2009. They enjoyed traveling with friends and dining out at various restaurants and in general loved the Florida weather and the friends they met.

Victor is survived by his wife Karen, nephew Benjamin Wilkinson and brother-in-law Thomas Wilkinson.

The family extends its sincere gratitude to the entire Nursing staff of Halifax Health for their professional and loving care provided to Victor while he stayed there briefly.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Disabled Veterans Association or the charity of your choice.