Leonard "Lenny" M. Nelson, Jr.'s Obituary
Leonard (Lenny) M. Nelson Jr. of Rehoboth Beach passed away Thursday, March 17, 2016.
Lenny was born in Newark, Delaware to Leonard M. and Ethel J. Nelson. He graduated from Newark High School in 1951 and served in the U.S. Army from 1956 to 1958. He graduated from the University of Delaware in 1962 where he loved playing football and driving about town in his MG convertible. It was there that he met the love of his life, Roxanne K. Nelson.
After a few years as a New Jersey high school football coach, the family moved back to Delaware where Lenny worked for the next 28 years as a physical education instructor for the University of Delaware campus in Georgetown. Known as "Coach" by his students, he coached the basketball team and introduced many popular physical education classes including backpacking, sailing, canoeing, skiing, tennis and racquetball. He loved sharing his lifelong passion for the outdoors with his family and students.
Throughout his life, Lenny and Roxanne enjoyed travelling around the U.S., especially sailing and boating on the Chesapeake and cruising the 7,000 mile Great Loop. He planned and built their homes along the Rehoboth Bay wetlands where he never tired of watching the birds and wildlife.
Lenny is survived by his loving wife, Roxanne; his two children Zoanne Nelson and husband Alwin Chan, and Michael Nelson and wife Cheryl; his five grandchildren Clay and Chase Nelson, Kyril Panfilov, Leo and Emily Chan; and his brother Harry Nelson and wife Margaret.
Memorial Services will be held at 2:30 PM on Friday, March 25, 2016 at Parsell Funeral Homes, 16961 Kings Hwy, Lewes, DE 19958 where friends may visit beginning at 1:00 PM. Interment will be private.
In memory of his great love of the outdoors, donations may be made to Friends of the Cape Henlopen State Park, P.O. Box 132, Nassau, DE 19969.
Please sign the guestbook located on this site.
FLORIST NOTE: PLEASE HAVE ALL FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS DELIVERED BY 10 AM, FRIDAY MARCH 25, 2016 TO PARSELL FUNERAL HOMES, LEWES, DE.
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