TRURO, N.S. — Gerry Nelson, 86, Truro, passed away Jan. 11. His funeral service, conducted by Rev. Larry Harrison, was held Saturday at Mattatall – Varner Funeral Home.
An overflow crowd, a ‘full-house’ you might say, including former hockey players and horsemen saluted the extremely well-liked Nelson.
Invited by Debbie Nelson to say a few words at her father’s service – I was consoled by these words from a gospel song.
“We wondered how we could live without him but great comfort we find when we look back at all that daddy left behind.”
Nelson grew up on Avon Street in Bible Hill, you might say with a hockey stick, a puck and skates close by. A magnificent friendship developed with Bible Hillers Jackie Dale, Ronnie Fielding and Roy Weatherbee. One could have only dreamed that Nelson’s journey would touch people all around the Maritimes, in California, Florida and across the United States.
Nelson was his usual soft-spoken and humble self during a September, 1995 Truro Daily News interview. The 1995 column was titled “Nelson a nice guy in harness racing’s big league.” It carried a photo taken in Florida, of Nelson, harness racing’s James “Roach” MacGregor and Debbie Nelson, a former competitor in top Canadian women’s softball.
Mention of the strong 1946 Truro Bearcats midget hockey team had Nelson smiling broadly. Coached by Stonewall, Man., hockey import Frank Grabowski, Nelson, Dale, Fielding and goaltender Weatherbee teamed up with such stars as Stan “Chook” Maxwell, Ronnie Conrad, Eldridge Bruce, Cecil Caudle, Howie Baily and Lloyd Mitchell. In 1950-51, Nelson, Fielding, Dale, Bruce and Joey Fraser played for Halifax Saint Mary’s Juniors. The 1951-52 season saw Nelson break into senior hockey with Truro Bearcats of the APC Hockey League. You could sense Nelson’s enjoyment as we talked about players like Bert Steel, Dutchy Mumford, Billy Hepburn, Jack Hepburn, Lou Medynski, Billy McIntyre, Gerald “Chub” Bartlett and Stu Mingo.
Nelson’s passion for horses included riding and winning with “Kilarney,” a saddle horse, in a betting pari-mutuel race during the 1947 Nova Scotia Provincial Exhibition. Kilarney was owned by his brother George and purchased from his uncle Harlan Nelson. By the early 1950s, Nelson was in harness racing, recording his first win sitting behind Phil Vitale (named after a hockey player) who he owned with hockey teammate Bert Steel.
So many exciting highlights followed: going to work for veteran George “Titter” Mauger was considered a huge break. Then, it was on to Shafter, California in 1959 to work for the legendary Joe O’Brian. This was followed by returning to Nova Scotia in 1960 and winning the driving championship at Sackville Downs. Nelson ran a successful public stable in N.S. up until 1977 when he returned to California to spend five more years overseeing training for the Joe O’Brian Stable.
The future saw Nelson continue on as one of the top trainers in North America, helping develop a huge number of outstanding stake colts and fillies while working for the Archie McNeil Stable and later the Ronnie Waples Stable.
“When Gerry and Shirley joined our stable in Florida, they became a big part of our family,” McNeil, a Nova Scotia native now living in Westboro, MA, emailed.
“Not only did Gerry manage the stable, he and Shirley are greatly responsible for helping me raise my son into the man he is today. I will be forever grateful.”
McNeil’s stable consisted of 40 to 50 fairly expensive yearlings.
“Gerry treated each one as if they were the next Little Brown Jug winner. But, as good as Gerry was with horses, he was better with people. Gerry treated everyone as if they were the most important person in the world. Gerry hired many, many grooms from Truro and around Nova Scotia and the Maritimes. I would hate to guess how many times Gerry went to bat for these kids. He bailed them out literally and figuratively.”
McNeil said Ronnie Waples, likewise, thought very highly of Gerry.
“People in the United States thought so much of Gerry Nelson,” said McNeil. “I miss the good times we had together; it was an honour to know Gerry. God Bless Shirley and Debbie.” – Archie McNeil.
Condolences and powerful emails were also received from Andy Lupovitz, Grapevine, TX and Randy Burrows, Allantown, N.J. Gerry would be so grateful.
Lyle Carter’s sports column appears weekly in the Truro News. If you have a story idea, contact him at 902-673-2857.
