James "Jim" Harvey Nelson, M.D.

James “Jim” Harvey Nelson, MD, 88, formerly of Womelsdorf, passed away Tuesday, August 29, 2023, at 1:00 pm at Reading Hospital, from severe pneumonia. He married Carolyn Collins in 1958. They just celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. He attended Zion United Methodist Church in Myerstown, Pennsylvania. He and his wife recently moved to The Heritage of Green Hills in Shillington, Pennsylvania.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Dr. Nelson was the son of the late Harry H. and Helen (Murphy) Nelson. Jim grew up in Longmont, Colorado. He graduated from the University of Colorado in 1957 with a Bachelor of Science degree and graduated from the University of Colorado School of Medicine in 1963.  He completed a residency in pediatrics in 1966 at Madigan Army Medical Center in Fort Lewis, Washington. 

He served in the United States Army for 34 years before retiring as a Colonel in 1991. He then worked as a civilian physician for another 28 years in Washington State and then Pennsylvania until he retired on October 21, 2019, without ever missing a day’s work in his 56 years of practicing medicine.

While growing up, his father introduced him to fly fishing, and Jim then shared this passion with his sons.  He had a lifelong love of books, and faithfully read his medical journals as long as he lived.  Jim was an avid distance runner and completed 21 marathons. In his later years he walked two to three miles almost every day. 

During his military career, he served for 7 years in West Germany and 3 years in West Berlin behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War. He also served as the Consultant for Preventive Medicine to the Surgeon General of the Army from 1986 to 1989 at the Health Services Command in San Antonio, Texas.

In addition to his wife, Dr. Nelson is survived by his sons James C. Nelson, husband of Laura J. Nelson, of Robesonia, Pennsylvania and their children Mrs. Jack (Rachel) Baker, Heather, David, and Jonathan; and Mark L. Nelson, MD, husband of Yukyung Nelson, of Tacoma, Washington and their children Nadia, Ian, Trevor, and Martina.  Besides his parents, he was pre-deceased by his sister Nancy Nelson, MD, and his brother William Groves Nelson, MD. 

Jim was an inspiration and encouragement to everyone around him.  He will be greatly missed by his family, his friends, and his patients. 

The interment will be held at a later date in his hometown of Longmont, Colorado. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the Children’s Surgical Centre in Cambodia at CSC.org.  Bean Funeral Homes and Crematory, 3825 Penn Avenue, Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania, is in charge of arrangements, and online condolences may be made at www.beanfuneralhomes.com.