[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 176 (Wednesday, November 14, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2413-E2414]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   IN TRIBUTE TO HAROLD SAMUEL NELSON

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CHARLES A. GONZALEZ

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 14, 2007

  Mr. GONZALEZ. Madam Speaker, every Member of the House of 
Representatives has a cherished friend and mentor back home. That dear 
friend is what keeps a member grounded to the realities of his or her 
district which can sometimes become obscure in the heat of legislative 
debate. With the passing of that friend, a huge void is created which 
often cannot be filled.
  Harold Samuel Nelson was born on June 18, 1918, and left this mortal 
world on May 29, 2006. It has now been more than a year that I, and 
many others, no longer have the benefit of his wisdom and advice. I now 
rise to honor him and how he lived his life.
  Throughout his long life, Mr. Nelson engaged in a number of different 
professions: farmer, philanthropist, and attorney. In 1952, he married 
Helen Ridgway, and they made their lives on a dairy farm in New 
Braunfels where they raised their daughters, JoMerre and Elizabeth. On 
September 19, 2001, Elizabeth blessed the Nelson family with their 
first grandson, Samuel Wilder Nelson who will carry forward the proud 
tradition of the Nelson name.
  After his experiences with other dairy organizations, Mr. Nelson 
formed Associated Milk Producers Inc., AMPI, so that dairy farmers 
could market milk and dairy products. Under his management, AMPI grew 
to encompass the better part of our Nation with over 40,000 members. He 
persuaded small dairy farmers to work together and thereafter, he was 
referred to as the ``grandfather of the dairy industry.'' He saw that 
organizing would strengthen each dairy farmer individually.
  In the late 1960s, Mr. Nelson convinced livestock farmers to 
cooperate to eradicate the screwworm, a dreaded livestock parasite. He 
helped organize and elicit funds to implement a novel strategy. 
Sterilized screwworm flies would be released at a rate of 150 million 
per week until they ceased to exist. His efforts resulted in a never 
before seen level of coordination among dairy farmers throughout the 
Americas to end the blight of the screwworm.
  Later in his life, Mr. Nelson set his energies and talents to 
honoring his mother's commitment to education. He established the Clara 
Freshour Nelson Foundation so that students, hundreds by now, could 
afford tuition for a fine arts education.
  I had the privilege of giving words of remembrance at Mr. Nelson's 
service. It was a sad day for everyone gathered in the church who had 
to confront our sorrow in missing his physical presence, love, support 
and wise counsel.
  While acknowledging that no one had any control over Mr. Nelson 
leaving our physical presence, we had complete control of keeping him 
spiritually alive within us by living the ``life lessons'' he had 
taught us.
  Mr. Nelson taught through example. He was generous to a fault. Not 
merely financially generous, but generous with his time, energy and 
empathy. Simply put, if it was important to you, it was important to 
him. He was forthright and made no excuses for who he was and what he 
believed in. He ``told it like it was'' and could size up a person or 
business transaction with clarity and precision.
  His greatest love was love of family; as a loving son, caring 
brother, devoted father and doting grandfather. Yet he was known to 
share his love with his ``extended family'', from dear friends Paul 
Alagia and Jose ``Pepe'' Gonzalez to name a couple, to those devoted 
caretakers that were near him as his days grew shorter: Alice, Ada, 
Brenda, Quolonda, Beverly, Rhonda and Emily.
  He was the consummate gentleman; he tipped his hat, stood when a lady 
walked into a room; simple gestures of something greater which was a 
genuine respect. He was a voracious reader, loved poetry and he could 
play the piano and violin. He encouraged and supported students in the 
study and appreciation of music.
  Imbued with a powerful social conscience, he was a ``yellow dog 
Democrat'' who firmly declared that ``you had to be a Democrat to 
believe in the Beatitudes''.
  Mr. Nelson was part of what is referred today as ``the Greatest 
Generation''. Tom

[[Page E2414]]

Brokaw in his book was describing Harold S. Nelson when he wrote: ``The 
World War II generation did what was expected of them. But they never 
talked about it. It was part of their code.''
  The character of Mr. Nelson was formed on the anvil of adversity. His 
innate sense of justice and fairness made him ``a man ahead of his 
time.'' Yet, I believe he shared the same philosophy expressed by the 
late and former Congressman Carl Elliott who upon receiving the JFK 
Profile in Courage Award for fighting segregation at great personal 
cost said: ``There are those who said I was ahead of my time, but they 
were wrong. I believe that I was always behind the times that ought to 
be.''
  Harold S. Nelson taught us about fundamental values and behavior: 
that your word was your bond, your handshake was a contract, you 
conducted business ``standing and facing''. As Paul Alagia said 
``Harold never ran out on a friend.'' Again, just like Congressman Carl 
Elliott, Mr. Nelson ``never swapped an old friend for a new one''. With 
the advent of computers and all the new technological gadgets designed 
to help us get through an ever increasingly complex world, Mr. Nelson's 
approach was ``Give me a Big Chief tablet and a pencil.''
  An observer of modern American life recently lamented: ``We have 
multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We love too seldom, 
and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. 
We've added years to life, not life to years.''
  May Mr. Nelson's greatest ``life lesson to us spare us this dilemma. 
So when the world overwhelms us, the pace too hectic, let us heed Mr. 
Nelson's advice ``give me a Big Chief tablet and a pencil''. Let us 
return to the basic goodness of life: honesty, integrity and 
compassion.
  Harold Samuel Nelson (known and loved as Daddy, Grandpa, Harold and 
Mr. Nelson) would have even helped us grieve. He would have told us not 
to be sad, then cry with us; he would have told us to march on, then he 
would have taken the first step, and lastly, knowing his love for 
poetry, he would have read ``When I Must Leave You'' by Helen S. Rice:

     When I must leave you
     For a Little while
     Please do not grieve
     And shed wild tears
     And hug your sorrow to you
     Through the years,
     But start out bravely
     With a gallant smile; And for my sake
     And in my name
     Live on and do
     All things the same,
     Feed not your loneliness
     On empty days,
     But fill each waking hour
     In useful ways,
     Reach out your hand
     In comfort and in cheer
     And I will comfort you
     And hold you near; And never, never
     Be afraid to die,
     For I am waiting for you in the sky.

  Harold Samuel Nelson lives on in our hearts and souls.

                          ____________________