Dr. James Neilson, 82, passed away at his home in Gilroy,
surrounded by his children and his treasured caregiver Nita
Manukainiu, on Monday June 21, 2004.
Dr. James Neilson, 82, passed away at his home in Gilroy, surrounded by his children and his treasured caregiver Nita Manukainiu, on Monday June 21, 2004. Eleanor, his wife of 58 years, preceded him in death on March 3, 2004.
He was the devoted father of Beverly Curry and her husband Dave, of Santa Rosa, Doug Neilson and his wife Joanie, of Milwaukee, Wis. and Marcie Neilson of Oakland, and loving grandfather of Scott Curry and his wife Christina, of Santa Rosa, Shelly Curry and her fiance Jeff Randesi of San Francisco, Natalie Neilson and Brittany Neilson, both of Milwaukee.
A California native, Dr. Neilson was born in Oakland in 1922. He graduated from San Jose High School, and attended San Jose State University before enlisting in the Army during World War II. He served in the European theater for six months as a Private First Class infantry rifleman with the famous Thirteenth Armored Division – The Black Cat – which captured Hitler’s hometown in Austria. A great storyteller, Dr. Neilson loved to tell how it was his outfit that liberated one of his old high school buddies, Carl “Curly” Johns, who also became a longtime resident of Gilroy, from a Prisoner of War camp in La Havre, France. After the war, Neilson received his degree in Zoology, followed by his graduation from the School of Optometry at the University of California, Berkeley in 1949.
He and Eleanor moved to Gilroy that same year and set up his Optometry practice. Forty-eight years later, he sold his practice to Paresh Patel, OD, while he continued to work part-time. Heavily involved in his beloved community of Gilroy, he was past-president of the Gilroy Unified School District Board, Wheeler Hospital/South Valley Hospital Board, South Valley Community Bank, Gilroy Rotary Club, and the California Optometric Association. He was the first Commissioner of Gilroy Little League Baseball. He also served as a board member of the Gilroy Community Theatre – acting in many local productions as well. Rarely idle, Dr. Neilson served as a City Councilman and member of the Planning Commission for the City of Gilroy, as well as an Elder of the Gilroy Presbyterian Church, and was a member of the Gilroy Foundation and the Gilroy American Legion. Dr. Neilson’s passions included flying, golfing, fishing, playing cribbage and most of all, being with his family. He loved and appreciated the community and people of Gilroy. Making friends wherever he went, he was known to be the life of any party he attended. His warm smile, his laughter and his never waiving optimism will be remembered by all of those he touched.
A Memorial Service will be held Friday, July 9, 2004 – 11 a.m. at the Gilroy Presbyterian Church, 6000 Miller Avenue, Gilroy, under direction of the Habing Family Funeral Home. If desired, donations in his memory may be made to the Gilroy Rotary Foundation, the Gilroy Foundation or your favorite charity
