Bernhard W. "Bill" Nelson Jr.

LEWISBURG - Bernhard W. "Bill" Nelson Jr., 86, of Lewisburg, passed away Sunday evening, Dec. 27, 2009, at Buffalo Valley Lutheran Village, Lewisburg, where he had been a resident since 2007.
He was born Aug. 25, 1923, in Brooklyn, N.Y., the son of the late Bernhard W. Sr. and Laura (Rahm) Nelson.
He was a graduate of Yonkers High School and New York University in 1950. After high school, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps, attending navigator's school. After graduating, he was commissioned a second lieutenant and was assigned to the newly formed 487th Bomb Group (Heavy) in Lavenham, England. He flew 51 combat missions over France and Germany and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Distinguished Flying Cross with Clusters for extraordinary achievement in bombing attacks against the enemy and outstanding proficiency over French and German targets. He was the lead navigator for the entire 8th Air Force during the second raid over Berlin. During his time as lead navigator for the 487th Bomb Group, it received a presidential citation for being the most accurate bomber group in the 8th Air Force. He returned to the states in September 1945 and retired as a major in the Air Force Reserve in 1958.
He joined American International Group in 1960 and served in various capacities, including in arson investigation and risk management. In 1976, he left AIG and worked for General Reinsurance Corp. in Stamford, Conn., from where he retired as vice president in 1992.
In 1976, he married the former Millie Angstadt Glock and commuted between Stamford and Lewisburg on weekends for 16 years.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by one son, Barry, of Lewisburg; seven stepchildren, Thomas Glock and wife Amy, of Red Lion, Susan Bird and husband Mark, of Frederick, Md., Barbara Duym and husband Thomas, of Glen Ridge, N.J., Karen Miller and husband Paul, of Lewisburg, Steve Glock and wife Ann, of Lewisburg, and twins, Judith Glock, of Marblehead, Mass., and Jeffrey Glock, of Doylestown; and stepgrandchildren, Libby and Haden Glock, Alex Duym, Drew and Casey Miller and Abby, Katy and Kevin Glock.
He was preceded in death by his sister, Marian Male, and his first wife, Marie Kelley.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday in the "Commons" at Buffalo Valley Lutheran Village and will be preceded by a coffee hour visitation at 10. The chaplain at Buffalo Valley, the Rev. Cockley, will officiate.
A graveside veteran's service will follow in Lewisburg Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to the Public Library for Union County, 255 Reitz Blvd., Lewisburg, PA 17837, or the Union County Chapter of the American Red Cross, 249 Farley Circle, Lewisburg, PA 17837.
Arrangements are by the John Shaw III Funeral Home, Lewisburg.