Richard J. "Smokey" Nelson of Manchester passed away Saturday, October 9, 2010, with his loving family by his side. Richard was born on September 4, 1944, the son of the late John and Dorothy Nelson. Richard's greatest accomplishment in life was his family. He is survived by his devoted wife Patricia (Dickenson) Nelson, with whom he enjoyed 42 years of marriage.  Besides his wife, he is survived by his children, Jeffrey Nelson & his wife Jean; & Erika LaBella & her husband Rosario; His four grandchildren, Mackenzie Nelson, Grace LaBella, Tyler LaBella and Jonathan LaBella brought the most joy to his life. He is also survived by his sister Lynn Hjelmstad and her husband, Doug of Conway, N.H, his sister-in-law Cathy Nelson of Bolton as well as nieces and nephews. Richard was predeceased by his brother Jonathan Nelson. Richard took pride in his professional endeavors, including being the co-founder of LE Systems, Inc and owner of DKNE Design Services, Inc. His many accomplishments extended through various high tech firms throughout the United States. Until his illness, Richard was employed by Newport Corporation of Stratford. In his spare time Richard was an avid NASCAR fan enjoying attending races with his family. His most memorable moment was watching Dale Earnhardt win the Daytona 500 with his son in 1998. The family would like to extend their sincere love and gratitude to their friends and family who have kept them all in their thoughts and prayers over these difficult months.  There was a celebration of Richard's life October 15, 2010 at Emanuel Lutheran Church, Manchester, CT. A private burial preceded the celebration.

Published in The Hartford Courant on Oct. 12, 2010