The Life Of Judge Dave Nelson

Mendocino County Superior Court Judge David Nelson, a man of legal excellence, integrity, and commitment to family, friends, and community, was humble and rarely spoke of his numerous achievements. He let his actions, not words, define him, a trait that earned him respect and admiration.

Nelson, originally from the Midwest, made a significant decision five decades ago to adopt rural Mendocino County as his home. This choice, a testament to his deep-rooted connection to the community, was honored on Saturday at a celebration of his life in the auditorium of SPACE, a renowned local performing arts center in Ukiah. 

A standing-room-only crowd listened as a series of speakers told how Nelson eschewed the recognition and the money that his degrees from Stanford University and Yale Law School certainly would have come had he practiced law in an urban environment. Instead, Nelson came to Ukiah as part of a wave of newcomers in the 1970s, hung out his shingle, and settled into a five-decade-long life filled with family, friends, local politics, and community.

Judge Nelson was known for his quiet, profound care and compassion in the courtroom and his personal life. Jurors were often moved by his serene demeanor and carefully chosen words that eloquently presented his client's cases. Nelson's compassion as a sentencing judge occasionally shone through, even for those found guilty of a crime and facing prison time.

Fellow Judge Ann Moorman said about Nelson, “I’ve never had another colleague like Dave, and his combination of commitment to justice, understanding of the law, and instinct for the human condition. I probably never will.”

J. Holden curated an album of photographs that traced Nelson's life, beginning with his formative years in Rochester, Minn. Here, he first demonstrated his academic prowess and athletic talent, earning the prestigious Eagle Scout badge and serving as the student body president of his high school. Nelson's exceptional achievements as a presidential scholar led him to the White House, where he had the honor of shaking hands with then-President Lyndon Johnson.

Nelson’s athletic prowess earned him a full scholarship to Stanford, where he played football under famed Coach Bill Walsh. It was his years playing local baseball and basketball with teams in the Ukiah Valley, however, that Nelson talked about most.

Nelson enjoyed having a cold beer after games with his teammates and on Friday afternoons with his pals in the local legal community.

Nelson was a quiet man and a good listener. He was fun, liked a good time, and enjoyed lively conversations. Nelson also was a bit of a prankster.

“He was known to put salt in the sugar bowl on April Fool’s Day,” recalled daughter Julie Nelson Newberry. 

Nelson’s daughter, Jessica Nelson, spoke of her father’s quiet encouragement to “let us figure things out as we grew.”

Jessica Nelson recalled how she was accepted at Stanford, her father’s alma mater, and how initially she was eager to follow in his footsteps. 

Within a few days, however, she realized Stanford was the wrong choice for her. She wanted to attend a small university in Minnesota. 

“It was far away and certainly not close to home as we had envisioned when I was accepted at Stanford,” said Jessica Nelson. “But my dad ‘let me go,’ and now I must do the same for him,” she said. 

David Riemenschneider, Nelson’s former law partner who served with him on the bench, recalled how they met at Stanford and became friends. “We talked about becoming law partners for a long time and finally did in 1984. I achieved instant status within the legal community because of Dave’s standing.”

“He was my law partner and my friend,” said Riemenschneider.

Attorney Tim Morrison was a close Nelson friend whose practices shared the same historic building on School Street across from the Mendocino County Courthouse. Morrison chose to talk Saturday about a special bond they shared as friends and baseball aficionados and how because they both owned properties in rural areas, they developed a years-long effort to photograph the first wildflowers on their lands. 

“Then we exchanged photos every year,” said Morrison. “The wallpaper on my cell phone is one of them from Dave.”

Morrison and fellow attorney and longtime friend Mary Ann Villwock saw Nelson in the final hours of his life. “He was cogent and at peace, surrounded by Judy – his wife of 38 years - and his daughters, the people he loved most,” Morrison said. 

Nelson was prepared for the end of his life, aware that a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease almost certainly would lead to a potentially long and debilitating decline.

Still, he accepted his fate gracefully, according to Miranda MacPherson, a meditation teacher who worked with Nelson in his final years.

Nelson’s core Midwestern values steadied him as he explored spiritual avenues to sustain him in his final years. 

“Dave was not religious, but he found deep spirituality. He lived a life of grace,” said MacPherson.

The Nelson family has established a Dave Nelson Fund to benefit health, substance abuse, and treatment with the Community Foundation of Mendocino County.