Richard C. Nelson
Richard C. Nelson (Wheelock’52) of West Lafayette, Ind., writes, "I grew up the sixth of eight kids in Brockton, [Mass.], and dropped out of high school at the beginning of my senior year so that I might ultimately be able to take advantage of the GI Bill. I served in the mop-up phase of WWII, and my first assignment, even before basic training, was clerical work, helping to get the boys who had served in combat home for Christmas of 1946. I graduated from BU’s [then] School of Education in 1952, taught a year at a time in Connecticut, California, and then overseas—in Japan and two locations in Germany. Long story short, I was determined to become a counselor, then a counselor-educator, and after several stops along the way—including what has become a 66-year happy marriage—I served for 32 years, most of them as full professor, at Purdue University. My wife, Betty, ultimately served as Purdue’s dean of students. What is my purpose in telling you all this? My memoir, What a Life! Choices and Chances in My First 93 Years (2025), has been published by White River Press."
From the Winter-Spring 2026 issue.