Lawrence W. "Larry" Nelson

Larry W. Nelson, 74, of Plano, IL, passed away unexpectedly on July 25th, 2024. Larry was born on January 17th, 1950, in Chicago, Illinois, to Woody and Sylvia Nelson. After Sylvia's passing in 1974, Woody married Malou Nelson, who was an integral part of Larry's adult life.
Larry, along with his best friend and business partner Pam Nelson, has spent a lifetime and career fulfilling the goal of the 1934 Communications Act, creating radio stations that fully serve, communicate to, and reflect the local communities they are licensed to.
Larry grew up on the south side of Chicago with an early interest in engineering and in running businesses as a young boy. While attending high school, Larry helped start and run the student radio station at Bogan High School in 1968. Larry never attended college and was proud to have learned most things he knew on his own. Larry would often find time to work odd jobs for radio stations in Western Chicago. One of the radio stations he visited was WRMI in Morris, Illinois, which later became WCSJ one of the flagship stations owned by Larry today. Woody and Sylvia provided guidance in Larry pursuing his interests in radio broadcasting. Pam's mother, Lucille Smothers, was also instrumental in allowing Larry and Pam to devote the time needed for radio duties and Doug and Jenny at home.
After high school graduation, Larry got a job doing transmitter and audio engineering at WLS. At the time, WLS engineers were leaders in the industry, knowing all the trade secrets of how to make big power tube AM transmitters sound spectacular. As a result of Larry's knowledge acquired on the job, he was approached by WIND to help them improve the quality of their sound engineering.
Around 1968 while working at WLS, Larry met his wife and future business partner Pam. They were married in 1970 and applied for a new FM license in rural Kendall County. Over the next 4 years, they saved money and fought to win the license over other applicants.
Larry's co-workers could not understand why he would want to apply for an FM license as AMs were the leaders, and many questioned their desire to own a radio station in this rural area.
On January 19, 1974, the Nelsons turned on WSPY FM 107.1 for the first time, and the rest is history. WSPY is focused on being the big station in a small market. Larry and Pam have always believed in having their station focus on local news breaking on their station first, having local community and groups, and covering local politics and local high school sports - boys and girls.
Larry and Pam bought the Morris radio stations WCSJ FM 103.1 and K Country FM 95.7 in the late 90's. They also own and operate radio stations in Dekalb County WLBK FM 98.9 and Q FM 92.9. Larry and Pam have taken great pride in having locally owned and operated radio stations that serve the community. The staff that work at the radio stations are the backbone of making the station what it is and a true service to the community.
Over the last 50 years, Larry and Pam acquired, sold, or kept about 25 radio stations. Ten of these stations are still operated by the family. Doug Nelson, Larry, and Pam's son is actively involved in the radio stations and has a First Class FCC license for engineering at the stations. Jen Beckman, Larry, and Pam's daughter is actively involved in the day-to-day business running of the radio stations.
Larry served on multiple government and civic boards for over 40 years. In the late 1970s, Larry was appointed and later became chairman of the Plano Economic Development Commission. Larry was a founding member and past president of both the Sandwich and Plano Chambers of Commerce. In the early 1980s, Larry was appointed to the Kendall County Regional Plan Commission, where he served for approximately 45 years. In the late 80s Larry Was a founding member of the countrywide KenCom dispatch and emergency 911 board, the first in the state for dispatching all the public safety agencies in Kendall County. Following September 11th, 2001, he served on the FCC Media Security and Reliability Council infrastructure committee, formulating best practices procedures for the nation's communication companies preparing for natural disasters or attacks. In the 1980s, Larry, Joe Martin, and Ron Janick, along with others, joined the Fox Valley YMCA board. Together, Larry, Joe and Ron led the way in moving the YMCA to its current location on the intersection of Eldermain Road and Route 34 on Plano's Eastside. Larry also served on the Illinois Broadcasters Association and the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation. Larry most recently led the way in starting the Kendall County 211 services.
Larry had a number of private pastimes that included watching science documentaries with his grandkids, using more than 10 skid steer implements to do landscaping projects on the farm, and, in his younger years, searching for ghost towns in Arizona and New Mexico with his lifelong partner Pam.
Larry is survived by his wife, Pam Nelson of Plano, IL; his children, Douglas (Laura) Nelson of Plano, IL and Jennifer (Zak) Beckman of Plano, IL; his grandchildren, Sylvia Beckman, Killian Beckman, Lila Nelson, and Grant Nelson; his brother, Bruce Nelson of Libertyville, IL; also his step-mother, Malou Nelson.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Woodrow and Sylvia Nelson.
Friends may visit from 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM on Monday, January 19, 2026 at Nelson Funeral Homes, 1617 North Bridge Street, Yorkville, IL.
Arrangements by Nelson Funeral Homes & Crematory, www.NelsonFuneralHomes.com or (630) 552-7211.