In Memoriam: Loved ones broadcast Nelson's pioneering spirit

Whether he was in the cockpit of an airplane or driving a business deal, Robert Nelson’s family and friends remember him as a caring and generous man, driven by his sense of adventure.

Nelson, a noted entrepreneur and founder of radio stations WBRD-AM, WDUV-FM and the television station Channel 40 WXL-TV (now WWSB ABC 7), died May 9. He was 87.

Nelson’s interest in radio can be traced back to his career in the U.S. Army Air Corps. Born in 1924 in Atlantic City, N.J., and raised in Philadelphia, Nelson enlisted in the Army in 1942. While stationed in Guam, he learned the ins and outs of radios and electronics engineering.

When Nelson returned from the Army, he put his knowledge to use in the radio business in Philadelphia and Atlantic City, where he met his first wife, Bette. In 1957, Nelson moved to Bradenton with his wife and two children and founded two iconic radio stations and a television station. Shortly after, Nelson took on the project he later referred to as “his baby” — securing channel 40 WXL-TV as an ABC Network affiliate in 1971.

Nelson put everything he had into his business.

“He worked day and night and fought tooth-and-nail to get that affiliate,” says his daughter, Christine Todd. “He didn’t even worry about getting a paycheck for the first two years. His first concern was with taking care of the employees.”

Most people who knew Nelson remember him as humble, soft-spoken, reserved and a true embodiment of America’s Greatest Generation.

“He always had a strong interest in making the people around him the best possible person they could be,” says Nelson’s stepson, Ryan Farley.

Nelson’s Army career also spurred a lifelong passion for flying, and he made many friends as he pursued his hobby. One such person was Brian Murphy, who met Nelson while looking for a lot on which to build his home.

“My brother and I knocked on a few doors to get to know some of the people in the area,” said Murphy. “We ended up having a three-hour conversation with him. He was just a generous, good guy. He really was one in a million.”

Nelson is preceded in death by his wife, Bette; his brother, Chas; and son, Robert.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 25 years, Mollie Nelson; daughters, Christine Todd, of Myakka City, and Kayla Nelson, of Sarasota; stepson Ryan Farley, of Culpeper, Va.; six grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

A celebration of life memorial will be held at 5 p.m. Saturday, June 9, at Dolphin Aviation, 8191 N. Tamiami Trail. RSVP to Ryan Farley at 266-3057.

Donations can be made to Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation, 1515 S. Osprey Ave., Suite B4, Sarasota, Fla. 34239; and First Baptist Church, 1670 Main St., Suite 200, Sarasota, Fla. 34236.