Keith L. Nelson, emeritus professor and founding faculty member of UCI’s Department of History, died on Oct. 10, 2022 at the age of 90.
The Department of History held a memorial service for Nelson on April 27 at Humanities Gateway. In attendance were Nelson’s colleagues and friends, as well as his wife Paddy and daughter Katherine.
Next to Nelson’s published works was a display of some of his best memories, such as international trips with students to Sweden and Denmark and speaking at UCI’s commencement ceremony alongside President Barack Obama in 2014.
“We also celebrate the continuing living presence of Keith Nelson in our community of scholars, students and friends,” School of Humanities Dean Tyrus Miller said.
Nelson co-founded UCI’s Department of History in 1965 and left a lasting impact on UCI long after his retirement in 2004. According to a remembrance message sent from the School of Humanities, UCI created the Keith L. Nelson Graduate Fellowship and the annual Keith L. Nelson Lecture in International History in recognition of his contributions to the school.
The annual Keith L. Nelson Lecture in International History was one of Nelson’s largest endeavors to bring people together on UCI’s campus. The seventh annual lecture followed the remembrance, featuring Mary L. Dudziak, an Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Law at Emory University, who gave a lecture on the Korean War.
Attendees spoke not just of Nelson’s academic and career accomplishments, but also about the positive mark he left on those he came across.
Professor Emeritus Spencer Olin, co-founder of UCI’s Department of History and friend of Nelson, commented on the lingering shock of the loss of Nelson.
“I strongly suspect that those of you who have lost a close friend will likely understand my own sense upon Keith’s recent demise of the jarring presence of absence.” Olin said.
Nelson was known for his unique ability to bring people with similar interests together. He built strong friendships with those he came across, including Emily Rosenberg, a professor emerita of history at UCI. She fondly looked back on a three hour lunch the two had together.
“I realized it was sort of emblematic of how much he valued keeping ideas at the heart of a conversation and how skillful he was at orchestrating — and I don’t mean dominating or manipulating — but just understanding how conversations can be orchestrated in a pleasing way,” Rosenberg said.
Nelson was a husband, father, grandfather, teacher, mentor and friend. His legacy serves as a reminder to engage with and learn from one another.
Asia Boyd is a Campus News Staff Writer. She can be reached at asiajb@uci.edu.