LeRoy Nelson of Columbus passed away on Saturday, May 26, 2018, in the Four Seasons Retirement Community of Columbus. He is survived by his wife Sharon (Harlow) Nelson of Columbus, and sons Barry (Jeanne) of Glenview, Illinois, Kent (Pam) of Fishers, Indiana and Todd (Diane) of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He and Sharon have seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Max and Harold.
LeRoy was born July 23, 1930 to Mary (Kaiser) and Charles Franklin Nelson in Swiss City, Indiana. A graduate of Bicknell High School, he received Bachelors and Master’s degrees from Indiana State University and served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps.
LeRoy was a lifelong educator with teaching assignments in Pittsfield (Illinois), Oaktown and Greenwood before coming to Columbus in 1959. He has the distinction of being the first principal of Columbus East High School when it opened in 1972, and later serving as principal of Columbus North High School until his retirement in 1990. He was named Outstanding Secondary Principal of the 6th District; was elected to the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation Hall of Fame; and the Columbus East High School library is named after him. As an education administrator he always put the needs of his students first, knew every student by name, and was respected by his peers for fairness and honesty.
He and Sharon are longtime members of Asbury United Methodist Church. He was an active participant in the local Evening Kiwanis Club and the State and National Association of Secondary Principals.
LeRoy enjoyed any time with his wife and family, reading American history, Big Band music and his beloved San Francisco Giants. He taught his children to be firm, but kind, and not to take themselves too seriously.
A funeral service will be conducted at Noon Saturday, Four Seasons Retirement Center Chapel, with Pastor Dave Blystone officiating. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. to service time at the chapel. Burial will follow in Garland Brook Cemetery. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.myers-reed.com.
In lieu of flowers donations in LeRoy’s name may be made to Hospice of South Central Indiana (https://www.crh.org/service-centers/hospice) or to the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation Foundation (http://www.bcsc.k12.in.us/domain/49 checks payable to “BCSCF” with “LeRoy Nelson Scholarship” in the memo line).
