REMEMBERING DAVE NELSON
I knew this weekend would trigger. Last year our friend Dave enjoyed the Super Bowl, surrounded by family. Then he was gone. It was heartbreaking for Judy, daughters Julia and Jessica, family, friends, and the community. I feel Dave's spiritual presence, and I am grateful for that. I miss him, our talks, our passion for politics, and our circle of friends. Bless you, Dave.
by Mike Geniella
A community gathering is planned for March 30 in honor of the late Mendocino County Superior Court Judge David E. Nelson, whose towering presence helped reshape the county’s legal, political, and cultural landscapes.
Nelson’s death on Feb. 17 at age 77 has sparked an outpouring of sympathy and respect for a man widely known for his keen intellect, courtroom compassion, and kind manner that extended from family, friends, and colleagues to the least fortunate.
Superior Court Judge Ann Moorman, a close associate and friend of Nelson’s, has practiced law for 37 years and is mourning his passing.
“I’ve never had another colleague like Dave, and his combination of commitment to justice, his understanding of the law, and his instinct for the human condition. I probably never will,” said Moorman.
Mendocino Coast attorney Steve Antler, a friend of Nelson’s for four decades, recalled shopping with Nelson in a local supermarket when an unexpected encounter captured the essence of the judge’s impact on others in the courtroom.
“Two people walked up to him and reminded Dave they had been defendants in his drug court. They thanked him profusely and said, ‘You saved our lives,’” said Antler. “It was clear to me then how the essence of his being was trying to help people have a good life.”
Nelson, a Minnesota native, moved to Mendocino County in the early 1970s after graduating from Stanford University and receiving his law degree from Yale Law School. He was part of an influx of newcomers to the county a half-century ago who shifted the political dynamics of a then rural conservative county and infused communities with a new appreciation of alternative education, the arts, and social mores.
Nelson and his then-wife Phyllis Webb bought land in the hills out Low Gap Road west of Ukiah and, with friends' help in 1974, built a house to live. They entered into a land partnership with Gina Campbell and Billy Jamison, which remains in force today between the two families and their four grown children.
Nelson’s career as a criminal defense lawyer began to surge after he became involved in some significant cases, and the county became the center of the outlaw marijuana industry that sank deep roots in the so-called ‘Emerald Triangle.’
Nelson had a solo law practice, but he often worked in tandem with some of the best-known criminal defense attorneys in Northern California: Moorman, Susan B. Jordan, J. Tony Serra, Chris Andrian, and Richard Petersen. Nelson’s public posts from that era proclaiming “Busted?” were legendary.
Even though Nelson and wife Phyllis eventually divorced, ‘the land’ remained a passion for both. Nelson retreated there over the years to recharge personally and professionally. He loved having friends out, hiking in the hills, and discussing the day's events over a cold beer or two on the deck.
Land partners Billy Jamison and Gina Campbell remained close friends with Nelson, who married Judith Fuente 38 years ago and lived on Ukiah’s Westside in a cottage-style house where Nelson continued his love of gardening until his passing.
“We loved Dave Nelson and his steadiness. He never wavered in his convictions,” said Gina Campbell.
Nelson’s law practice thrived, and he emerged as one of the North Coast’s premier lawyers. In 1984, he and fellow attorney David Riemenschneider formed a partnership with law offices in the historic Republican Press newspaper building across School Street from the Mendocino County Courthouse.
“Dave was a kind, generous, honest, funny, intelligent, and empathic individual,” said Riemenschneider, who has known Nelson since 1966. Riemenschneider was appointed a Superior Court judge in 2012 and served five years with Nelson on the bench before his friend and former law partner retired.
“Dave was a first-class friend, and first-rate law partner and judge. His clients were universally grateful for the heartfelt and quality representation he gave them,” said Riemenschneider.
Nelson’s wife Judith Fuente, and his two daughters, Jessica and Julia were the center of his life.
Daughter Julia Newberry of Napa said, “I hope he can be an inspiration for us to deepen the connections we have with each other. To look for the good in people. To listen with intention. To give and receive love freely and graciously as he did so well.”
Jessica Nelson of Minneapolis said her father set “an amazing example of being kind and curious, working hard, and doing good in the world. Every day I try to be like him. I think is true for so many who knew him.”
Beyond his devotion to family and the law, Nelson left his mark on the region’s politics.
In 1980, Nelson helped orchestrate the election of fellow Stanford graduate Dan Hamburg to the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors. Nelson devoted his energies to getting Hamburg elected to Congress in 1992 and became his top district field representative for two years.
The ‘Hamburg era’ may have been short-lived in local politics, but Nelson’s advice and political support continued to be sought as his personal and professional stature rose. He remained well connected in Democratic Party politics and in Sacramento, where Nelson’s recommendations still mattered.
Beyond the law and politics and Nelson’s support of local cultural institutions like Ukiah Players and SPACE, a local school of performing arts and cultural education for young people, athletics played a significant role in his early life.
In his youth, Nelson was an all-state athlete during high school in his native Rochester, Minnesota, in football, track, and basketball. He was inducted into the Rochester Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. Nelson, the son of an elementary school principal, was the paragon of Midwest values. Nelson earned an Eagle Scout badge and was student body president at his John Marshall High School.
Nelson was recruited out of high school for his football skills, but he declined offers from East Coast schools in favor of Stanford.
In his first year, Nelson was the starting quarterback for Stanford’s freshman team. Nelson played safety under legendary Stanford coaches Bill Walsh and Dick Vermeil, a Napa Valley native. He had his 15 minutes of stardom when he intercepted a pass during the big game with UC Berkeley and was an All-Conference Honorable Mention in the Pacific Coast Conference in the fall of 1967.
Family, friends, and Nelson’s adopted community were impressed with his past accomplishments but what they most remember is his personal credibility, his honesty, his understated humor, and his love of a good party.
Judge Moorman said Nelson brought a “humble and empathetic intellect” to the bench, including his devotion to the Adult Drug Court. “He used his compassion alongside the rules and laws that we must enforce in a civil society to break apart the cycle of addiction, economic injustice, violence, and generational trauma.”
Nelson is survived by his wife of 38 years, Judith Fuente, and daughters Julia Newberry (Brian) of Napa and Jessica Nelson (Joe Slag) of Minneapolis; a brother, Dr. Roger Nelson (Marcia Hall) of Phoenix, Arizona; sisters Jan Meslin (Pete) of Cayucos and Lori Wesley (Mike) of Dublin, Ohio; and four grandchildren, Elle and Quinn Newberry and Freya and Leif Slag. He was preceded in death by his parents, Irene and Woodrow Nelson.
The community gathering in Nelson’s honor will be held from 2-4 p.m. March 30 at SPACE, 508 W. Perkins St., Ukiah.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Friends of Drug Court Fund or by check to the Community Foundation of Mendocino County, 204 S. Oak St., Ukiah, 95482, with “Friends of Drug Court Fund” in the memo line.
BOONVILLE MUSIC SERIES FEBRUARY 2026 CONCERT
Music lovers of the Valley!
The Boonville Music Series returns for its Winter 2026 concert! The world has not been the calmest of places in recent times and we feel the need to offer an evening of music that is virtuosic as always, and yet, meditative.
Percussionist extraordinaire Chris Froh is back with the UC Davis Percussion Ensemble to offer:
Marimba Phase by Steve Reich
Apple Blossom by Peter Garland
Timber (parts I-V) by Michael Gordon
…and other selections announced from the floor!
The featured composers are considered American masters of minimalism and ambience, exploring shifting soundscapes of timbre, rhythm, and dynamics. Instruments will focus on wood — think wooden planks, marimbas — plus a few other instruments.
There will be an intermission plus refreshments for sale, hosted by the Anderson Valley Grange. All ticket proceeds support our continued presence in the Anderson Valley Unified School District; Chris and the UC Davis percussionists will have visited with students at the elementary and junior/senior high schools in Boonville leading up to the concert.
Thank you for supporting youth and musical activity in the Valley!
www.glfcam.com
ANDERSON VALLEY VARIETY SHOW, 2026
Hello folks of Anderson Valley, Mendocino County and beyond!
The 33rd annual Anderson Valley Grange variety show for 2026 is coming together. Showtimes are Friday, March 6 and Saturday, March 7. Acts are calling, but we are always looking for more. It's two completely different shows over the two nights, close to 40 acts, and there are no tryouts. This is not a judged talent show, it’s a “Variety Show”. Over the years we've seen everything from first time preschoolers looking like ‘Deer in the headlights’ to world class performers. We accept acts from all over the area and everyone is welcome, which has bolstered the event to become a great community gathering, all packed into the Grange enjoying each other's company. We like the local local aspect of real live people sharing all kinds of talent & entertainment.
In the past we've actually turned down a feature article in “California's Odd Events” along with an interview with the New York Times. “Thanks, but no thanks.” Always we look for a variety of acts likened to old-time Vaudeville shows. Skits, stories, music, dance, demonstrations. with an emphasis on “local.” Heck…spinning a pizza box on a finger while rollerskating, chainsaw sculpture, and of course, animal acts!
Over the years we've “outlawed” just a few things such as “no lip syncing”, “No video without live interaction” and just this year “No AI”. We understand that it's all around us and we can't really escape it, but the spirit of the show is ‘real’ people and animals creating their act with no AI assistance. “Hey kids do it yourself, It's way more fun!”
As for the show technicality, there's a rehearsal the weekend before the show where we schedule 20 minutes on stage for each act so you get familiar with the stage and the crew will work with you for sound and lighting cues. If you're open to it, we give unsolicited advice because we want you to be comfortable on stage and give your best performance. So, if you’re hearing the call to perform, contact the show host Captain Rainbow at 707-472-9189 and sign up your act!
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