HAROLD NIELSEN Jr.

Hal indeed had a good sense of humor and never was aloof, tho he was a leader in life. I recall sitting in a Wilson High Spanish class for 2.5 years with him, and we had an ongoing guerrilla-war of sneaking tacks onto each other's seat, which now and then extended to the teacher's seat.
---Paul Mitchell

I just learned of Hal's passing a few days ago. He was my first cousin once removed (my mother's first cousin). I have many fond memories of both Hal and his dad, Uncle Harold, at family gatherings. Stories of how Hal's chihuahua "terrorized" Uncle Harold were always good for a laugh. Rest in peace, Hal. I hope you and Harold are having some good laughs together again.

Hal's father and my grandmother were brother and sister. Met Hal about 10 years ago when my mother and I visited Tacoma but knew of him because my grandmother had pictures of Hal and Berna on her living room table. He sent me many funny emails before the days of fb and wish I had known him longer.

Your family has our thoughts and prayers for comfort and assurance. We are grateful for Harold's public service to Tacoma. (And many of us enjoy the Cloverleaf, too!) Blessings.

Hal certainly was a wealth of knowledge and had a quick wit. You could always depend on him for the correct answer to complex problems. He served his community well and hopefully knew that he had a positive impact on those around him.

So sorry to hear of his passing. Hal was a good friend to many including me. May you rest in peace my friend. Until we meet again.

I worked with Hal for 33 years and considered him a friend. He liked to act like a tough guy but I knew he would be the first one to step-up to help if help was needed.

My favorite council colleague. He was quite normal for a politician, a right regular guy with a sharp sense of humor. Fortunately for Tacoma, his common sense made him the frequent swing vote between the liberals and conservatives. He was our leader on planning and zoning issues. He got us that huge Richardson photo collection for Tacoma Public Library.

Hal was someone I truly enjoyed and am sorrowed by his passing. My condolences to the family in this time of sadness.