Theodore Wirt Nelson

Theodore W. Nelson, Exec VP, Mobil Oil Corp, Church and Westfield Y Trustee Mr. Theodore W. Nelson, 96, died February 23, 2011, at the Westfield Center, Genesis Elder Care Network in Westfield. Born in Missoula, Montana, and raised in Casper, Wyoming, he graduated valedictorian of both his high school and college classes. His GPA upon graduating from the Colorado School of Mines at 19 was the highest in the school's history, a record that has never been surpassed. One of two petroleum engineering grads in1934 to get a job in the depths of The Depression, he went to work for the White Eagle Oil Co. in Augusta, Kansas, a subsidiary of Socony Vacuum, later to become Socony Mobil and finally the Mobil Oil Corp. Before moving to NJ in 1937 to become manager of the Paulsboro Refinery for Socony Vacuum, he married Elizabeth Wiley, a Kansas native, who would be his devoted helpmate for 60 years. While in Paulsboro, he helped to perfect the Houdry Process for catalytic cracking of gasoline to achieve higher octane, and during WWII, was Mobil's representative on the Aviation Gasoline Advisory Committee in Washington, DC. He held a captaincy in the U.S.Army Reserves (Engineers) but was deemed too valuable to the war effort at home to be sent overseas. In 1947 Mr. Nelson became Director of Field Research Laboratories for the Magnolia Petroleum Co, another subsidiary of Mobil Oil, in Dallas, Texas, and five years later was promoted to Director of Research and Development Labs for Socony Mobil Oil Corp., with offices in NYC, moving with his wife and four children to Westfield in 1952. By 1964 he was a Senior VP for Exploration and Production with Mobil Oil, and that year was honored by his alma mater with the Silver Distinguished Medal, and appointed a member of the Board of Directors of the Colorado School of Mines. He also took courses at Harvard Business School during this time. In 1967, he was made President of the Mobil Chemical Division. For the last ten years of his 43-year career with Mobil, Mr. Nelson served as Executive VP and a member of the Board of Directors of Mobil Oil Corp., retiring in 1977, with the company honoring him by naming their newest geophysical ship after him. Having traveled widely in his work looking for oil and gas, including finding one of the largest gas fields in Northern Sumatra, he relished the opportunity in retirement to stay home more and give back to his community. He served for many years on the boards of the Westfield Y and Westfield Foundation, earning the Y's Golden Volunteer Award in 1997, notably for his work chairing their Investment Co. and raising over 5 million dollars for the Y. He also served as a trustee and treasurer for the Presbyterian Church in Westfield, and as House Manager at Echo Lake Country Club. He spent his leisure time pursuing his passion for golf, bridge, puzzles and cruises with his wife Elizabeth until her death in 1997, when he continued cruising with his daughter Barbara. Surviving are his son, The Rev. Dr. John W. Nelson and wife Terese of Provincetown, Mass., two daughters, Barbara E. Nelson of Westfield, and Susan N. Elliott and husband Ray, of Crystal Lake, IL, daughter-in-law Jacky Farley Nelson of Manchester Ctr., VT; nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Memorial services will be held at The Presbyterian Church in Westfield on Friday, March 11, at 2 pm. Arrangements are under the direction of Gray Funeral Directors, 318 East Broad St., Westfield. Memorial donations in his memory may be made to the Westfield Y, 220 Clark St, Westfield, NJ 07090.