Charles Bryan Nelson Jr.

10/15/1931 - 12/08/2025

(Age 94)
Charles Bryan Nelson, Jr. passed peacefully on December 8, 2025, after a brief illness. Charles was ready for Heaven and looked forward to his reunion with his parents. Charles lived a full and blessed life filled with music, worldwide travel, ice skating, family events and the love he had for teaching college and high-school students in instrumental music. His true love was classical piano, and it was among these many activities that Charles made many life-long friends in America and several foreign countries.

Charles was born on October 15, 1931, in Marion, Virginia by his parents Charles Bryan Nelson Sr. (Welch, WV) and Ruth Ellen Berry Johnson (Washington County, VA). Charles lived a country life spending time in both southern West Virginia and Southwest Virginia where he developed a love for music early by playing in the band. He graduated from Marion High School in 1949.

Charles studied Composition Music at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music(1952), where he won the Liszt Prize twice. He moved onto the Juilliard School of Music in New York City, NY where he studied Piano Performance and graduated in 1953. In 1954 he went to the Manhattan School of Music to receive a master's in music. Charles finished his formal training with a Doctor of Music in 1963 from Indiana University. In 2024 Charles was most happy to create and endow, the Charles B. Nelson, Jr. Scholarship in Classical Piano with the Manhattan School of Music. He previously served on their Alumni Board of Directors.

Charles' career led him to different states and positions pursuing his passion to teach and play classical piano music. He was a faculty instructor of Piano & Music Literature at East Tennessee State College (now University) in Johnson City, TN from 1955-1957. From 1957 to 1964, Charles had various teaching positions with Copiah Lincoln Community College, Bob Jones University, and University of Dayton. His long-term employment as Director of Instrumental Music for Fairfax County, VA Public Schools ran from 1964 to 1987.

In retirement, Charles enjoyed hosting friends and family in his home in Alexandria, VA for Sunday brunch. He traveled to over 50 countries, loved to take cruises, and went ice skating weekly at the Mount Vernon rink. He took great joy in returning to Washington County VA for the annual Berry family reunion. He loved visiting with cousins and sharing his genealogy on the Berry family.

The Nelson family says a heartfelt thank you to the following groups and individuals that allowed Charles the opportunity to stay in his home and have the best possible life the last two years; Charles' daily care giving was provided by Independent You Senior Services with a special shout out to Nurse Sonja and his "favorite" care-givers Olu & Chief. Charles appreciated the care and love that Olu & Chief provided him as they would take him to lunch and church. Chief provided special love at the end, as he honored Charles' wish to leave the hospital and return home before his death. The family also thanks Dr. Oghenetega Nduka with Inova Primary, for her outstanding care, attention and love for Charles until the end.

Charles is honored to have cousins, family and care givers as pallbearers – John N. Berry of Abingdon, VA, Jonathan R. Berry of Abingdon, VA, Jason N. Berry of Abingdon, VA, W. Carr Blankenship of Abingdon, VA, Thomas Evans of Apex NC, Jesse Smith of Apex, NC, Olufe Gbemibade of Alexandria, VA, Sa Gyasi Nimako of Alexandria, VA with honorary pallbearers Wesley N. Berry & John Daniel A. Berry of Abingdon, VA.

Visitation and service for Charles Nelson will be at Grace Episcopal Church in Alexandria, VA on Saturday, December 27 starting at 12 p.m. and interment directly following at Mount Comfort Cemetery. The family is proud to have Everly-Wheatly Funeral Home providing services.