James "Jimmy" T. Nelson

It is with heavy hearts and immeasurable sorrow that we announce the passing of James T. "Jimmy" Nelson, age 63, on January 1, 2025 at home with his loyal partner, Cathy, by his side.  Born on May 6, 1961 in Bristol, CT, he was the son of the late Hedley P. "Bud" Nelson and Catherine (Rouille) Nelson, who passed away when Jimmy was an infant.  Jimmy was raised by his dad and step-mother, Bertha Nelson, until her death in 1977.

Jimmy was a diehard Boston Red Sox fan, never missing a game on TV and making at least one trip to Fenway Park every season.  He was a ball boy for the Bristol Red Sox in the 1970s when Jim Rice and Fred Lynn played at Muzzy Field.  One of his happiest moments was meeting Jim Rice and talking about those days.  He loved cheering on the UCONN Huskies, both men and women, and enjoyed meeting Bristol's own Donovan Clingan.

His fondest memories revolved around his second home, The Forestville Boys Club, where he spent a good part of his childhood. With guidance from Rex Hamilton, "Tiny" Bergstrom, Tommy Euley, and Bob McGinty, Jimmy created cherished memories of all his activities and sports events there.  An All-State cross country runner for Bristol Eastern Class of 1979, Jimmy set state records and was team captain.  Jimmy played baseball as a catcher on countless teams into adulthood, always wearing #14 in honor of Jim Rice.  He also refereed basketball with his brother, Larry, which was so special to him.

Jimmy proudly served in the US Navy as an in-flight technician of aviation electronics on P-3 Orions from 1981-1987.  While he traveled around the world, he was based in Brunswick, Maine with VP-44, and settled in Maine after his honorable discharge.

Jimmy worked for many years as a sales representative at Geiger Brothers/Crestline in Lewiston, Maine, where he was a master at providing excellent customer service with every order.  His most recent career was as an account specialist for Bank of America, where he earned the respect of his superiors and peers along with many regional awards for his stellar performance and work ethic.  Jimmy was a hardworking man who never backed down from a challenge.  He fought for everything he had in his life and never gave up.

Jimmy was known for his beautiful blue eyes, contagious smile, quick wit, excellent singing voice, charm, and fierce loyalty.  He had a keen eye for landscaping, transforming both his and Cathy's yards into beautiful and relaxing retreats. The smell of lilies was heaven to him.  He enjoyed karaoke, going out to the movies (and eating popcorn), going to plays, going to New Britain Bees games, and sitting on the patio with a fire in the firepit.  He loved having his family and friends visit him in Maine, especially at Balloon Festival time, and he treasured his Boston trips with his sister, Brenda.  He valued sharing time with his brother, Bob, at the VFW. He especially loved "Guys Day" with Cathy's son, Timmy, which involved Go-Karts, mini-golf, Target, and Burger King.  He was excellent at "The Price Is Right" and occasionally got an answer right in "Jeopardy."

Jimmy was very social and spoke to everyone he encountered.  He had a special affection for all veterans, shaking the hand of every one he met and spending every Veterans Day at Jerome Home in New Britain, meeting and honoring the residents who served their country.

Jimmy leaves to mourn his loss his daughters, Savannah Carvalho (David) and Stephanie Cyr(Joshua); his grandchildren Mallory, Delilah and Matthew Carvalho,  and Avery and Gracelynn Cyr; his siblings Brenda Laperuta(Nick), and Robert Nelson(Karen); his sister-in-law Anne Clark-Nelson; his dedicated partner Cathy Teti and her children Amanda and Timmy Schneider; Cathy's family, including her mom, Catherine Teti and her siblings Frank Teti Jr, Barbara Labriola(Bob), and Anna Teti (Gerry); his lifelong buddies—The Forestville Boys—Gary Gibson, Tommy McDonnell, Joey Hannon, Tommy Bossie, Eugene Houle, and John Trzinski; many nieces and nephews; many friends in Maine; and his loyal cat Ash, who will be lost without him.

In addition to his parents, Jimmy was predeceased by his infant brother, Billy, his beloved brothers, Donald and Larry, his friend Scott Anderson, and Cathy's dad, Frank Teti, Sr.

Jimmy's family would like to extend a special thank you to his home health aides Donia, Fallon, Maria, and Anna Joy and Home Helpers Home Care for providing compassionate care in Jimmy's last few months.  His Hartford Healthcare at Home Hospice nurses Joanna, both Michelles, Megan and Cindy, were a tremendous help providing guidance, comfort and care.  His many dedicated doctors were so patient and willing to try anything to help Jimmy—Dr. Haklai Lau, Dr. Bhamji, Dr. Jennifer D'Amico, Dr. James St. Pierre, Dr. Bradley McGregor and Dr. Li Li at Dana Farber in Boston, Dr. Kaplan and Dr. Gallagher at St. Mary's Wound Center in Lewiston. We can't say enough about the care they and their staff provided, as well as the doctors and staff of The Hospital of Central CT ER and floors E1 and N4.

Jimmy loved his country and his flag and his family.  He was a loyal friend, a proud and devoted father and grandfather, a caring sibling, a dedicated employee, and a loving partner.  He will be missed by everyone who knew him.

Calling hours will be held on Wednesday, January 8, 2025 from 4:00-7:00 pm at  Erickson-Hansen Funeral Home, 411 South Main St., New Britain, CT.  Funeral services will be held on Thursday, January 9, 2025 at 10:30 am at the funeral home followed by burial with full military honors at 12:00 noon at the State Veterans Cemetery, 317 Bow Lane, Middletown, CT, to honor Jimmy's service in the Navy and the rich military history in his family, of which he was so very proud.