Obituary of Dr. Donald Nelson-Nasca

Dr. Donald Nelson-Nasca, age 85, passed away suddenly at his Penfield home on Wednesday, January 16, 2019. Don is survived by his loving partner, Diane Wolcott, son David (Gail), grandchildren Stacy (Ron), Rick (Kris), great-grandchildren Dylan, Connor, Luna; nephew Danny (Shelli), and niece Danetta (Scott). Betsey, his daughter, predeceased him.

 

Don graduated from Fredonia High School, Fredonia College, earned a MS in Science at Cornell, and his EdD in Education at the University of Buffalo in 1965. Don’s 50-year career touched 1000s of students, faculty, teachers, and administrators throughout the Greater Rochester Area, NYS, and the USA. He thrived on research, writing, teaching, and evaluating programs/ projects at all levels, K-university. Don’s greatest joys were inspiring students to create, explore, develop new knowledge, question, and solve problems.

 

Dr. Nasca’s illustrious career included 48 years as a professor at Brockport College, a year teaching science in Brighton, and a year as Headmaster of Calasanctius in Buffalo, a school for gifted children. In the 1970’s, Don was President of the NYS Gifted Association. He professed his love and knowledge of gifted education throughout the US, Canada, and Brazil. This interest led him to accept an invitation to serve as Clinical Professor in Residence in Brockport’s International Teaching Center at Escola American do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for 18 months.  He did workshops throughout NYS, the USA, and Canada.

 

Don loved science and nature! This is seen in his early years teaching 8th grade science in the Brockport Campus School, his doctoral thesis via UB, development of hands-on science kits for Instructor magazine, and dozens of articles published in journals and magazines.

 

Don was a Renaissance man mirrored in his academia world, hobbies, and home. At 63, he learned to fly an airplane. He was an antique buff depicted in their 1910 restored home and 1840’s hand hewn beam barn. Antiques, primitives, and ducks fill the home. Don was a natural athlete playing basketball until age 75! He also fished, hunted, biked, hiked, canoed, kayaked, wind surfed, ran, swam, and played golf, tennis, and handball. Don rode motorcycles and even learned to scuba dive at 49. He backpacked and camped, sleeping in tents thru 2016. Photographer, marksman, and remote-control model plane builder are additional hobbies. In 2012, he became a wine maker winning NYS Fair awards.

 

Don's science love is seen in his property and lifestyle. Don and Diane have five beautiful acres filled with apple trees, a vegetable garden, lush flower beds, a waterfall pond that Don built, dozens of trees, and manicured lawns. The naturalist is evident in Don's own oil and acrylic paintings, selection of art work, Remington sculptures, Bierstadt, Robert Bateman, and Andrew Wyeth's paintings, music, and furnishings. He was a carpenter and master wood worker echoed in home decor, furniture, a wrap-around porch, and tiered deck that he built with his son David. He loved travel, musicals, theater, and mysteries.

 

Don’s expertise and activities relating to the Civil War developed in the last fifteen years.  Don possesses a collection of original letters his Civil War great-great grandfather sent home which inspired him to "research" Civil War stories and collect other Civil War items, including artifacts and uniforms.  In retirement, he has immensely enjoyed sharing his knowledge and some of his collection with others, for example, making PowerPoint presentations in full Civil War Uniform with musket and artifact displays for students and organizations.

 

And, as you might imagine, Don donated his body to the University of Rochester for medical research.  Don loved research, right to the end!

 

 

 

 

 

Contributions may be made to:

 

Donald Nelson-Nasca Scholarship for Undergraduate Research

Brockport College Foundation

350 New Campus Drive

Allen Administration Building 707

Brockport, NY 14420

                                                                   or

 

The Undergraduate Student Research Award sponsored by Dr. Donald Nelson-Nasca

Fredonia College Foundation

272 College Avenue

Fredonia, NY 14063

 

We will have a Celebration of Don’s Life from 2:00-7:00 pm, on Friday, June 14, 2019 at Don and Diane’s home in Penfield.

 

1661 Sweets Corners Road

Fairport, New York 14450

 

and

 

A Memorial Service is being planned to take place at Church of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (152 Main Street, Brockport) 11:00 am on Saturday, June 15, 2019. 

Please join us for these celebrations of a remarkable man.

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