Dr. Thomas Charles Nilsson

It is with a heavy heart we share the passing of Dr. Thomas Charles Nilsson, MD (73). He is survived by his loving wife of forty-six years, Karin Nilsson, their children Christopher (Elizabeth Stahl) and Claire Nilsson, brother Erik Nilsson (Julie) and sister Carol Nilsson (Allen Minish).

A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Thomas “Tom” is the son of the late Dr. Donald Nilsson, MD and Janet Nilsson. He attended Westside High School and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln where he was an active member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, a bond he would later share with his son Christopher. He went on to receive his Doctor of Medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center where he also completed his residency in Internal Medicine, followed by a fellowship in Allergy and Clinical Immunology at National Jewish Health in Denver, Colorado. He returned to Nebraska in 1980 to work alongside his father and founder of Midwest Allergy and Asthma Clinic, P.C. This summer marked his 40th anniversary with the practice.

When not working, Tom was an avid outdoor enthusiast. His love of Colorado and the mountains started as a young boy and continued through his final summer. Whether spending time at his beloved Windward House where the trails of Rocky Mountain National Park were like a map ingrained in his soul, to skiing with his kids from the day they could walk, he loved the peace, tranquility and endless adventures he found under Colorado’s clear, blue mountain skies. He also kept active running and biking, and most recently enjoyed a new home in Palm Beach Gardens with his wife Karin where they took advantage of everything the Florida sunshine provides.

Most importantly, he had an insatiable curiosity about the world, one that he has passed down to his children. He could answer almost any question on Jeopardy or Trivial Pursuit, and his entire family marveled at his dedication to learning everything he could about the fabric of the world we live in. He read everything from Dickens, Tolstoy, and Dostoevsky to trashy spy novels, and loved every second of both ends of the literary spectrum.

Lastly, he was the most principled, pragmatic man any of us ever knew, always embracing science and reason above politics. We hope those who knew him and respected him will take this to heart in these trying times.

Tom’s greatest loves were his wife, his children, his work and learning about the world he inhabited. An outstanding husband, father, brother, doctor and friend, he had a profound impact on the lives of so many people; his example will be felt for generations to come. On behalf of our entire family, we are so saddened by this loss, but if each person who reads this can take or learn from even a small portion of his life, the world will be a better place.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Rocky Mountain National Park Conservancy, Nebraska Humane Society or the University of Nebraska Foundation to help establish a “White Coat Fund” in Tom’s name.