Ezra Emanuel Nelson, 91, died at home March 15. Nelson was born Feb. 27, 1924 in Berkeley, the youngest child of Charles and Karen Nelson. He grew up in "The Old Yellow House" on Moraga Way, then completed the bungalow next door and lived there his entire adult life. Nelson attended Orinda Union School when it had just two classrooms, each with a coal burning stove. He graduated from Mt. Diablo High School in 1941. In recollections submitted to the Orinda Historical Society and later republished in this paper, Nelson recalls summers spent working Moraga pear harvests for $2 per day (http://tinyurl.com/ojetavn). After high school Nelson worked as a machinist for Hexcel Corporation, Berkeley and later as a letter carrier out of the Orinda Post Office. He retired in 1989. He married Aleda Dooley in 1954; she died in 1995. He married Margaret Ellingson in 1997; she survives him. Nelson is also survived by his son, David Ezra and Carolyn (Knapp) Nelson, of Evergreen, Colo., granddaughters Robyn (Gary) Glover, Arlington, Texas, Courtney Nelson (Conor Poull) Dallas, Texas, and grandsons Grayson, Jacob and Noah Glover, Fred and Leslie (Webb) Ellingson, Walnut Creek, Mariko and Jon Klopstock, San Ramon, and Bert Ellingson, Orinda, grandsons, Tyler Ellingson, Samuel and Shane Klopstock and several nieces and nephews. Services have been held. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Mission Athletes International, attention Paul and Vickie Gizzi, or CMML, Inc., c/o Daniel and Georgiana Eakins, P.O. Box 13, Spring Lake, NJ 07762.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA