Gunnard Alan Austin-Nelson Jr.

Gunnard Alan Austin-Nelson, Jr.

West Lebanon, NH - Gunnard Alan Austin-Nelson, affectionately known as Al Nelson, passed away peacefully on September 24, 2025 surrounded by loved ones. Born on April 12, 1935, in New Britain, Connecticut, Al lived a life rich in experience, intellect, and heart.

A proud graduate of Mooreland Hill School in Kensington, CT, then Middlesex School in Concord, MA, Al went on to graduate from Yale College, where his academic pursuits were briefly paused for service in the U.S. Army 11th Airborne, where he saw action as a medic in the Korean War. He later received a graduate degree from Princeton University. His life was filled with a remarkable range of vocations and passions-he was a lumberjack and owner of Middlesex Wood Co., a police officer in New Britain, CT, a professor of English and Latin at Dartmouth College, and a beloved teacher, dean, and coach at Middlesex School during his 28-year tenure there.

Al was a true Renaissance man. He was a member of the Yale football team and gained the lifelong distinction of scoring a touchdown against Harvard in his freshman year. He was also a Minor League baseball player, a devoted lover of music, and a fierce and tireless chess competitor-never letting his grandchildren win a match, no matter how hard they tried. He was also the undeniable star of countless theatrical productions at Middlesex, captivating audiences with his commanding stage presence and love for performance.

Al had a deep appreciation for language and literature. He could effortlessly quote passages from 18th-century British literature and was a lifelong lover of Latin. He found joy in playing the piano and engaging in spirited games of bridge with friends and family. A model train enthusiast at heart, Al delighted in constructing elaborate G Scale Garden train layouts both inside and outside his home, bringing whimsy and wonder to all who visited. But he may be most remembered by his family and friends for his love of hosting creative and memorable celebrations, concerts, and parties.

His intellect was matched only by his warmth, generosity, merrymaking, and wit, and he was an authentic feminist long before it was fashionable.

Al was predeceased by his first wife, Susan Twichell Nelson, and is survived by his wife of more than 20 years, Marilyn Austin-Nelson. He leaves behind a legacy of love and wisdom through his children: Connie Nelson-White of Quechee, VT; Kimberly Lander (Jesse Lander) of South Bend, IN; Karen Tassinari (Roberta Tassinari) of Hillsboro, OR; son Jay Nelson of Waltham, MA; and his stepdaughters, Emily Baldwin of New London, NH, and Rebecca Baldwin South Orange, NJ. Al was a proud grandfather to eleven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, and big brother ("Big Al") to two sisters and three brothers, all of whom survive him.

He was larger than life-an adventurer, a scholar, a family man, and a mentor to many. His presence will be deeply missed, but his spirit will live on in the stories, laughter and love he shared with all who knew him.

A celebration of life will be planned for a future date.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Al's memory can be made to Middlesex School, 1400 Lowell Road, Concord, MA 10742.