He was born in Mooresville, North Carolina on April 18, 1931 to Ethel and William Fletcher Nelson. He was the youngest of three brothers, William ("Bill"), Eugene ("Gene") and Bob. He was married to Dorothy Louise Byers of Rutherford County, in 1954 and they remained married until her death in 2011. They had one child, Allen William Nelson, of Atlanta .
"Dr. Bob," as he was fondly known, graduated from Appalachian State Teachers College in 1953 and received his doctorate in education from Duke University in 1967. He was a classroom teacher and then served as the superintendent of schools for Morganton, Alamance County and Hoke County in North Carolina for more than 25 years, touching the lives of coworkers and students alike as an incredibly compassionate administrator. After the death of his life-long love, Dot, in 2011, he moved from Raeford to Atlanta, where he spent the remainder of his life enjoying his family and his innumerable friends, as he had done throughout his life. Wherever he went, he was known for his unending patience, gentle spirit, and unconditional love.
He is survived by his son, Allen, and his two grandchildren, Katherine Byers ("Katie") and Robert Edward ("Teddy"), both of Atlanta.
A graveside service will be conducted at 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 11, 2016 at the Rutherford County Memorial Cemetery. There will be a memorial service at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church in Atlanta on July 9, at 2 p.m. This will be a celebration of his life and will be followed by a reception at a location to be determined. The family will provide further information about remembrances when they provide details about the memorial service in Atlanta. A memorial in Raeford is also being planned for later in the Summer. Friends and family are welcome to any and all celebrations of Bob's life.