Hugh Nelson
Born on February 27, 1946 in Charlottesville, VirginiaPassed May 30, 2025, in Indian Harbour Beach, Florida
Hugh Thomas Nelson IV, 79, passed away at his home in Indian Harbour Beach on May 30, 2025. He was born February 27, 1946, in Charlottesville, Virginia to Elizabeth Yoe Gordon and Thomas Page Nelson. He married Stephanie Lauwereins in 1971; They spent 49 married years together and had a son, James Richard Nelson and daughter Kimberly Nelson Musierowicz. Stephanie died suddenly in 2020, and in 2021 Hugh married his high school girlfriend, Dorothy Boudreaux.
Hugh grew up in Jacksonville, Florida and attended DuPont High School where he played clarinet in the school’s nationally acclaimed band. He graduated from Duke University with an BA degree in Economics and later received his MBA from the University of North Florida. Following graduation from Duke, Hugh enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served a tour of duty in Vietnam aboard the USS Noa (DD-841) as assistant gunnery officer. He then was Executive Officer of the USS Salish (ATA-187), achieving the rank of Lieutenant.
Following his four years’ service in the Navy, Hugh embarked on a successful career in the property and casualty insurance industry. His first employment was with The Dependable Insurance Group in Jacksonville where he rose to Executive Vice President over a period of eighteen years. He then moved his family to Atlanta, Georgia and assumed the role of Executive Vice President of Pinnacle Insurance Company. Following the sale of Pinnacle to another insurer, Hugh became Senior Vice President of The Northern Group, the risk management unit of a large multi-national nursing home company. After eight years at Northern Group, Hugh moved on to a position as Senior Vice President of Southern Insurance Underwriters and its affiliate, Century Casualty Company, retiring in 2023. Throughout his career, Hugh was heavily involved in the development of creative insurance products and the establishment of mechanisms for high-quality and responsive service to the public.
Throughout his life, Hugh was devoted to serving the Lord through active involvement in the churches he attended with his family. In Atlanta, he was one of the first members of The Church of the Apostles and a dedicated supporter of its international outreach ministry, Leading the Way.
Hugh is survived by his loving wife Dorothy; daughter Kimberly (Martin), son James (Elizabeth), grandchildren Nathan, William, Craig and Elyse; stepdaughter Wendy (Curt), stepson Jonathan (Jackie); step-grandchildren Isaac, Eva and Vivian; brother Thomas (Poppet) and sisters Betty Ann Graves (Holt), Mary Catherine Gordon and Carol Edmiston (Cham).
A memorial service will be held Saturday June 21, 2025 at 10:00AM at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Melbourne Florida.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to The Church of the Apostles, Leading the Way or Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Melbourne, Florida
