Dates

• Existence: 1929 - 2014

Biographical History

Orval L. Nelson (1929-2014) was a sociology professor and soldier.

Orval Leonard Nelson was born on March 14, 1929 in Lowell, Arizona to Williams Leonard Nelson and Ida Sophia Mortenson. Raised as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he served as a missionary in Finland between 1948 and 1951. After his return he enlisted in the U.S. Army as a military intelligence officer, including service in Korea. On November 13, 1953 he married Joyce Wiser Lufkin in the Idaho Falls Temple. They later had five children.

After leaving active service in the Army, Nelson worked as an industrial engineer at Boeing Aeroplane Co. He then studied at Brigham Young University, earning his master's degree in 1964. Upon completing this degree he worked as the director of scholarships and high school relations at the university for a few years before earning a PhD in Sociology. He then taught at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Oklahoma City University, and Southern Virginia University.

Nelson served actively in the Church as a bishop in three wards. He also served as mission president in Finland between 1969 and 1972.

Nelson passed away in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 3, 2014.

Citation:

Daily universe, Aug. 20, 1964 (Orval Leonard Nelson; home in Moses Lake, Wash.; graduated Brigham Young University with master's of science in Aug. 1964) https://archive.org/details/dailyuniverse16178asso/page/n3/mode/2up/

Daily universe, Sept. 21, 1964 (Orval L. Nelson; former industrial engineer for Boeing Aeroplane Co.; appointed Admissions Counselor, and chairman of the Undergraduate Awards and Scholarships Committee at Brigham Young University) https://archive.org/details/dailyuniverse173asso/page/n1/mode/2up/

Daily universe, Sept. 14, 1965 (Orval L. Nelson, director of scholarship and high school relations)

Nelson, Orval Leonard. Study of Boy Scout and Aaronic Priesthood activity (boys age twelve to fourteen) in selected LDS wards, 1964

Finnish Mission Alumni Website, via WWW, May 6, 2020 (Orval L. Nelson; president of Finnish Mission, 1969-1972; m. Nov. 13, 1954 to Joyce Lufkin in Idaho Falls Temple, five children; served in U.S. Army; lived in Platteville, Wisconsin; Provo, Utah; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Spokane, Wash.; Las Vegas, Nev.; retired in 1995)

Familysearch, via WWW, May 6, 2020 (Orval Leonard Nelson; Orval L. Nelson; b. Mar. 14, 1929 in Lowell, Ariz.; parents: Williams Leonard Nelson and Ida Sophia Mortenson; baptised into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1937; missionary in Finland, 1948-1951; m. Nov. 13, 1953 to Joyce Wiser Lufkin; military intelligence officer in Korea, retired as a major after 20 years of service in U.S. Army; PhD in Sociology; taught at Brigham Young University, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Oklahoma City University, and Southern Virginia University; served as bishop in three wards; mission president in Finland, 1969-1972; d. Sept. 3, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nev.)

Ancestry.com, via WWW, May 6, 2020 (Orval L. Nelson; Orval Leonard Nelson; enlisted in U.S. Army, 1951-1953; continued service in Reserves; BS, Brigham Young University, 1963; advanced to major, Aug. 20, 1965)

American sociologist, Feb. 1967: p. 38 (Orval L. Nelson appointed assistant professor of sociology at Wisconsin State University at Platteville)

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