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Kenneth W. Nelson ’44

Kenneth Warwick Nelson, 91, of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, a retired businessman who was active in the community, a U.S. Navy veteran, and dedicated to his family, died Tuesday in his family home in Moultonborough, New Hampshire. Born in Brooklyn, he moved with his family to Grymes Hill as a boy and graduated from Poly Prep High School, Brooklyn. Mr. Nelson earned a bachelor of science degree in business, engineering, and administration from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and completed the U.S. Navy Officers program at the Business School of Harvard University, both in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He served as lieutenant in the U.S. Navy for 18 months during World War II, with nine stateside assignments. He and Carey Boone wed on August 1, 1944, during his service, and moved to Grymes Hill after his discharge. The couple settled in Emerson Hill in 1950. Mr. Nelson, with his father, Russell, owned the Robbins Reef Motor Co., a Buick dealership, in Tompkinsville for many years. In 1947, he founded his own company, Tech Products, Inc., in Clifton, and was its chairman. He also founded and served as chairman of Methods Research Corp. in Farmingdale, New Jersey. He retired in 2004.

He held patents in two-color injection molding of thermoplastic polymers. He served on the board of directors of the former Staten Island Bancorp, Inc., now Santander Bank; was a director of First Fortis Life Assurance Co., Syracuse, New York, and Bankers American Life Assurance Co., Pearl River, New York. He also was a former director of American Centurion Life Assurance Co., Norton & Son, Inc., Elder & Jenks, Inc., and the Muralo Co., Inc., Bayonne, New Jersey. Active in the community, Mr. Nelson was a board member of the Staten Island YMCA, the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, and an honorary member of the Richmond County Country Club, Dongan Hills.

Mr. Nelson relished time spent at the family’s second home in Boca Raton, Florida. He loved traveling with his wife, Carey, and the couple had journeyed around the world several times. He also enjoyed boating and golfing with family and friends. Mr. Nelson especially treasured reunions with all three generations of his family.