It s rare that our personal health decisions are so public or that we re so constantly confronted with their communitywide ramifications. It s also rare that a newspaper reporter s life is so unavoidably intertwined with the subject they re covering.
But we live in unprecedented times, so on the morning of April 23, I dropped my daughter off at school, where she s recently resumed in-person instruction, and later got my second dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccination. Later that day, I wrote a story for the
Journal s website about our steadily spiking COVID-19 case numbers. Then, I spent the weekend researching Humboldt County vaccination efforts and the topic of vaccine hesitancy, which led to two very illuminating conversations with two very informed local doctors. (One of the huge perks of being a reporter is getting paid to talk to smart, passionate experts and about important stuff.)
This section includes both obituaries and memories. Honoring our loved ones who have died does not end immediately after their passing. We recognize that… so we’re extending our obituary section to include individuals who may have left a long time ago. If you want to remember someone who is gone, either recently or longer ago, please send a photo and your memories to [email protected]
Denver Nelson peacefully passed away on February 28, 2021, after suffering a stroke.
Denver was born in Spencer, Iowa in October 1941 to Harold and Loramae Nelson. He left Spencer at 17 and attended the University of Iowa. He finished his undergraduate degree, medical school, and a 6 year residency in neurosurgery at Stanford University. Before he began his residency, he left Stanford for 2 years and served in the US Airforce as a flight surgeon in Vietnam, where he was awarded the Bronze Star.