Blaine William Nelson was born in 1943 to Thomas and Grace Nelson in Portland, Oregon. He passed away due to pancreatic cancer on September 28, 2020, at home in El Paso, Texas. Nancy Neptune Nelson, his loving wife for more than fifty-six years, was by his side.
As a high school student, Blaine had the unique experience of living on-site at one of the first halfway houses in the nation serving men released from prison. His parents directed the house for the American Friends Service Committee.
Blaine and Nancy met as teenagers on a 1962 peace walk, which began in San Diego. They married in 1964 at the La Jolla Friends Meeting, where Nancy was a member. Peace, civil rights, and social justice issues were always important in their lives. As a young family, Blaine and Nancy and their children lived in Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Tucson before moving to El Paso in 1973.
Printing was Blaine’s early career interest before he decided on a career teaching government and political science. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from California State University-Northridge and a master’s degree in government from the University of Arizona.
Blaine was a Professor of Government and Political Science at El Paso Community College from 1973 to 2011. He was an early Faculty Senate president and the only faculty member to serve on the Steering Committee with college administrators and community leaders, organizing a successful construction bond and tax election in September 1974. The funds generated made possible the construction of the college’s first campuses and the ongoing operation of the college district. Moreover, through Blaine’s efforts, this successful election changed the law in Texas, by changing the voting requirements for bond and taxing elections so that all registered voters’ ballots were to be counted, not just the ballots of property owners.
Blaine was part of the original group of instructors to open the Valle Verde Campus in 1978, serving also as the Division of Social Sciences instructional administrative leader and helping to develop two-year degree programs for AA degrees in history, political science, sociology and the social sciences. Later he worked to develop distance learning, particularly through online instruction. Blaine loved college teaching.
Among his many interests and pleasures were sports, crossword puzzles, good food, good conversation, and travel. Whether traveling with Nancy or on his own, Blaine was an avid and skilled photographer. As recently as March 2020, he and Nancy visited New Orleans, one of their favorite cities.
Blaine was a treasured part of the El Paso Quaker community for nearly a half-century, His transfer of membership from La Jolla meeting in 1974 was foundational, making him the second recorded member of the El Paso Monthly Meeting. He served as clerk, treasurer, acting corresponding secretary, newsletter editor, convenor of the Building and Grounds Committee and on clearness committee for membership and marriage. Informally he worked to solve problems and create opportunities in the meeting and in the wider community. All his efforts showed a consistently graceful blend of initiative, creativity, and modesty. Blaine was a builder and sustainer.
In addition to Nancy, Blaine is survived by his adult children: Bruce and his wife Ann of Kirkland, WA and Cynthia and her husband Jacob Armengol of El Paso, and his grandchildren Hannah, Isaak, Cienna, Isaiah, Ashley, and Jacinda.