Hal Nelson

Harold L. (Hal) Nelson was born in Paris, Texas on October 30, 1928. He died in Austin, Texas on February 23, 2014. Hal attended elementary school in Paris, and moved to Texarkana with his family in 1942, where he attended Texas High School and Texarkana College. While still in high school, Hal began his career in Radio as an announcer at station KCMC and worked at this station through one year at Texarkana College. He then retuned to Paris to work as an announcer at station KPLT and attended Paris Junior College. After a brief period at Radio Station LRUN in Ballinger, Texas, Hal enlisted in the United States Navy in 1948 and served for four years, both at the Naval Hospital in Memphis, TN and aboard the USS Thomas E. Fraser, a destroyer with was converted to a mine layer.

After his discharge from the Navy, Hal went to work as an announcer and later as a news reporter at KTBC Radio (now KLBJ) and KTBC-TV, and while so employed, attended the University of Texas Law School. After graduation, he practiced law while still working the radio and television stations part-time. He was admitted to practice law in the State Courts of Texas, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas and the United States Supreme Court. Hal joined the legal department of the Texas Department of Health in 1972 and was promoted to General Counsel in 1980. As such, he served as legal counsel for the Department and the Texas Board of Health. He retired on December 31, 1992.

During his active years in Radio and Television, and law practice, Hal was a founder and the first president of the state-chartered Texas Press Club, served on the board of Directors of the Boys’ Clubs of Austin and Travis County, Board of Directors of the Texas Health Foundation, and, until 2012, was Chairman of the Board of the Texas Health Credit Union.

Hal will be remembered for his generous spirit. He was a loyal husband, devoted father and adoring grandfather. Hal is preceded in death by his wife Connie Nelson (July 20, 2013). He is survived by his son Michael Nelson and Grandson Eric Nelson, both of Round Rock, Texas.

Memorial Services will be conducted at 5:30pm in the evening on Saturday, the 1st of March 2014, in the Colonial Chapel of Cook-Walden Funeral Home, 6100 North Lamar Boulevard, Austin, Texas.

Memorial donations can be sent in honor of Harold Nelso to http://leukemiatexas.org/