Peter A. Nelson

September 21, 1947

March 18, 2024

Peter Anthony Nelson was born in 1947 in Boston, MA, the youngest of four brothers. He loved sports, and one of his favorite memories was going to the World Series with his big brother Dave as a kid. He was quite skilled at sports himself too. One of his proudest moments was pitching a combined no-hitter that was written up in the local papers. His father died suddenly when he was only 13 and since the family was never wealthy to begin with, he worked hard throughout his teenage years and helped his mother keep their house. Family values and the belief that everyone should help each other stayed with him his whole life. He always believed that favors should be paid forward - not back - to increase the love and positivity in the world.

He was accepted into a prestigious science and tech college, but decided to stay locally and attend Northeastern to help his mom. He worked on-campus jobs while studying Chemical Engineering to keep himself and his mother financially stable. When he graduated, he decided to move to Virginia to work at the US Patent Office as a Patent Examiner on chemical weaponry and explosives. He married Joan, whom he met in middle school, in 1971, and they left Boston together.

Pete joined the Army Reserves and after the Vietnam War, he graduated law school. His family grew with Erik (born 1973), Adam (born 1979) and Jenny (born 1987). His grandchildren Tyler and Hope were born in 2000 and 2002. Pete is also survived by Erik's wife Amanda, Erik's stepson Payton, and Jenny's husband Tim.

Pete was known for his strong Boston accent, which never faded during his decades in Virginia. His favorite quote was from JFK: "There are three things which are real: God, Human Folly, and Laughter. The first two are beyond our comprehension. So we must do what we can with the third."

Pete will always be remembered as an avid sports fan, a math and science whiz, a jokester, a storyteller, a lover of nature, good food, and music, and a man who offered a helping hand to others. He often thought of those less fortunate than himself.

A mass to celebrate his life will be held at St John Neumann Catholic Church in Reston VA on Monday March 25 at 11 am, with a viewing at 10 am and a luncheon afterwards. The family asks that if you wish to make a donation, you can donate in his name to charity:water at https://www.charitywater.org/jennifer-strackbein/in-loving-memory-of-peter-nelson .