Page 48 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2017- Online Magazine

Bert Nelson
f you know Bert Nelson, you
know talking to him is like
Idrinking out of a firehose.
Maybe it’s because he has so
much to tell. His life story is
as interesting and colorful as a
fictional character. In fact, his
wife has encouraged him to
record his childhood memories.
She thinks it would read like The
Adventures of Tom Sawyer or
Huckleberry Finn.
Each chapter in his life is equally
fascinating. He’s a Lubbock boy,
born and bred. From Dupre
Elementary to Lubbock High
School (Class of ’48) Bert has
always been at home in the Hub
City. However
his full life has
taken him all
over the world.
In 1928 his
dad G. Hobert
Nelson founded
a law firm in
Tahoka, Texas.
After serving
48 Lubbock Senior Link
A Library Full of Life
Stories
by Jane Bromley
as a Texas state senator, with his father’s law firm Nelson,
Hobert moved the firm and McCleskey and Harriger before
his family to Lubbock. Bert retiring to devote full time to
Nelson can’t say enough business.
about what a great man his
father was. “You should Bert was married to the former
be writing this story about Aurelia Cobb for 54 years. They
him.” In fact, while in college, raised a daughter and four sons.
G.H. Nelson roomed with Business savvy came naturally to
the future U.S. Congressman the young attorney. He invested
George Mahon in a basement with his brother George, and
apartment with a dirt floor. sisters Sue and Willella, as well
The elder Mr. Nelson’s as with his “great” brothers-in-
reputation as a lawyer and law Tom and Joe Cobb in several
a man of integrity is almost farming and ranching operations.
legendary. His mother His business career is wide and
was remarkable herself. varied, and reads like an article
She’d taught English and from Fortune 500. Bert moved
Spanish on the King Ranch his family to Corsicana, Texas,
in her earlier days. Bert fondly because he had purchased the
remembers growing up with his Dr. Pepper Bottling Plant located
brother and two sisters on 17th in that city. He then invested
Street in Lubbock. However, his in Collin Street Bakery Deluxe
accommodations while studying Fruitcake mail order business
pre-med at Texas Tech were not and Corsicana Cotton Mills,
as comfortable. He lived in the manufacturer of cotton duck
basement of Plains Clinic (now cloth. The Nelsons moved back to
Cafe J) and did X-ray and lab Dallas in 1968 and Bert engaged
work at night. in various enterprises including
sporting goods, men’s clothing
In January 1951, Bert enlisted
in the Air Force and spent one manufacturing, real estate
development, bank organization
year as a senior surgical nurse
before beginning flight training.
He graduated in B-25 bombers
in 1953 and was assigned to
Military Air Transport Service
Ferry Command. His job
involved ferrying bombers, cargo
planes and amphibious aircraft
throughout the US, Canada,
South America, Europe, Japan
and North Africa. “Great duty.
No combat,” he acknowledges.
After discharge, the young
veteran attended SMU Law
School and graduated in 1958.
He practiced law for six years