Herbert "Herb" J. Nelson, 93, Lake Bluff, IL

Herbert J. Nelson Jr., 93, was born on January 6, 1929 in Chicago, the eldest child of Herbert J. Nelson, Sr. and Mildred Nelson. Herb lived his life at the intersection of electronics and communications. The fascination with electronic communications began in Herb’s early teens when he became a radio amateur (W9IGL), building and operating his ham radios and telegraph key to communicate with people worldwide. Growing up in Northfield, Herb attended New Trier High School in Winnetka. At New Trier, he became involved in radio-centered activity. During WWII he took a summer job preparing dynamotors for distribution to armed forces overseas. He dipped packaging canvas by hand in hot wax that sealed and protected dynamotors from moisture damage during shipment.

Herb earned a five-year electronic engineering degree from Northwestern University’s Technological Institute, and was a member of Theta Xi fraternity. His first job after college was with the Naval Gun Factory in Washington, D.C. While in D.C. he began a family with his wife, Janet Windle Nelson, whom he had met as a student at Northwestern.

Returning to the Chicago area, Herb worked as an engineer with Aerial Measurements Laboratory in Evanston, run by Northwestern University. AML was building an analog computer for the Navy which would automate gunfire calculations, mostly for large naval artillery. When such a weapon was fired, the goal was to accurately hit a target as far away as 20 miles. Herb had worked for AML as a technician while in college and so was familiar with the technology.

Following AML Herb started a job with the C. P. Clare Co. in Chicago where he worked for more than twenty years designing and building electrical relays.

Janet and Herb moved to the village of Lake Bluff in 1962, building a home on Park Lane, with their family of four children. All graduated from Lake Forest High School and are college graduates.

When his father acquired and was subsequently Publisher of the Radio Amateur Callbook, Herb became its manager, and later, owner. The Callbook is the definitive directory of listings for more than 1.2 million radio amateurs worldwide. It is the reference publication by which radio amateurs are able to communicate with each other. Herb greatly enjoyed this business which he finally sold and retired from in 1993.

In retirement Herb was an active volunteer in videotaping various Lake Bluff Village Board meetings as well as County, and School Board meetings for local television broadcast. An example of this passion was being a constant presence in videotaping these meetings, 486 in all. He even added graphics to allow viewers to readily follow the agenda and stay abreast of issues facing the village.

In 1999 Herb and Janet decided to build a new home in Lake Bluff on Crescent Drive, and have lived there ever since.

With his wife, Herb was active in the founding of the Lake Bluff History Museum.

Herb Nelson is survived by his beloved wife of seventy years, Janet, who was an educator in Lake Bluff for 34 years and was also president of the Lake Forest High School Board for three years. Herb is also survived by their four children, Richard Nelson (Donna), Anne Nelson Karno (Stuart), Margaret Nelson (David Krischer), and James Nelson (Betsey Whitbeck). There are five grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

Visitation will be on Wednesday, March 2, from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Wenban Funeral Home located at 320 Vine Avenue, Lake Forest. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Lake Bluff History Museum, 127 E. Scranton Ave., Lake Bluff, IL 60044. Info: Wenban Funeral Home (847) 234-0022 or www.wenbanfh.com