submitted by cjohnson@augsburg.edu
Augsburg athletics legend Stanford ‘Stan’ Nelson ’43 passed away on November 20, 2025, at the incredible age of 105.
After growing up in Dawson, MN, Stan immersed himself in the Augsburg community, earning 12 varsity letters in football, basketball, baseball, and golf. Augsburg connections ran deep in the Nelson family—Stan’s brother, Edor Nelson ’38, would become the Auggies’ longtime football and baseball coach. Stan was inducted into the Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame in 1977 and received the 2024 Legend of Augsburg Athletics Award.
After the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, Stan enlisted in the U.S. Navy as an officer (Lieutenant Junior Grade) during World War II, serving in the Normandy invasion and the Pacific theater. Following the war, he earned his master’s degree. He had an extensive career as a football coach at Anoka High School, leading the team to seven conference championships and the 1964 Minnesota state championship. He was named the MHSCA Coach of the Year in 1964 and was named to several Halls of Fame for his coaching accomplishments. He will be remembered as an Auggie whose dedication, leadership, and service made an enduring impact on his community.
There will be a visitation on Tuesday, December 2, from 9–11 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Anoka, with a service to follow at 11 a.m.
Learn about Stan’s incredible life in these articles:
Stan Nelson, WWII veteran and Anoka icon, dies at 105 (Anoka County Union Herald, November 2025): https://www.hometownsource.com/abc_newspapers/community/andover/stan-nelson-wwii-veteran-and-anoka-icon-dies-at-105/article_41aa1803-1d2f-4149-8e77-070315338030.html
In Minnesota football circles, the life story of Stan Nelson, nearly 103, is impossible to beat (Minnesota Star Tribune, September 2023): https://www.startribune.com/stan-nelson-dave-minnesota-football-chip-scoggins/600301677?utm_source=gift
Please join us in keeping Stan’s family and friends in your thoughts and prayers.
Stan Nelson ’43: https://athletics.augsburg.edu/honors/hall-of-fame/stanford-nelson/31