Rodger Allan Nelson, age 83, of Wilmington, DE died on February 17, 2023. He passed away at Christiana Care Hospital in Wilmington, DE. Memorial services will be held in the summer of 2023 in Minnesota.
Rodger was born January 13, 1940 in Roseau, Minnesota to Alfred and Ruth (Sjoquist) Nelson. He graduated from Staples High School in 1958. Rodger received a B.S. degree in chemistry/biology with a minor in physics from St. Cloud University in 1963. He went on to Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa where he received a Master of Science in cell biology. For two years he worked at Northwestern Medical School in Chicago as an electron microscopist. He returned to school and earned a PhD in cell biology and biochemistry from the University of Minnesota.
In 1977 Rodger joined the DuPont Company in Wilmington, DE. He was fortunate at DuPont to be able to travel worldwide through much of Europe, the former Soviet Union, mainland China, Japan, India and Australia. He worked at DuPont for 15 years and retired in 1993. After retiring, he formed his own company, Technical Marketing Company, Inc. where he did consulting work for the next two decades.
Rodger kept busy with his many interests. These included earning a private pilot’s license, a USCG captain’s license to charter small fishing groups on the Delaware Bay, photography, music, building computers and ham radio.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy of Wilmington, DE; son Patrick (Leigh), two grandchildren Joslyn and Carter of Seattle, WA; brothers Donald of Sartell, MN and Dwight (Wendy) of Nevis, MN; sisters Debra Peterson of Spooner, WI and Mary Krawiecki (Brian) of Alexandria, MN; as well as 11 nieces and nephews.
Rodger was preceded in death by his parents.
Services will be held privately.
