SIGMA ALPHA EPSILON
Montana Beta Alumnus Reconnects with Youthful Past
Wallet Lost for 60 Years Serves as Time Capsule for David Nelson '58
H
e's not "Private" Nelson any more, and his memory would have
to stretch back 60-plus years to recall what movies David Nelson
'58, saw at the Fox and Campus theaters in Missoula back in his early
college days.
But David, a retired pharmacist in Utah who turned 80 this summer, does
recall losing his wallet at Camp Roberts in California after he'd joined the
Army in 1952 during the Korean War. And he's bemused at the sudden
flurry of attention stirred up when the tattered wallet, sans cash, was found
recently.
"I got it stolen from me. I'm sure that's what happened," he said from his
longtime home in a Salt Lake City suburb.
Demolition of most of the base's World War II-era structures began last
year, and David's wallet was found in the debris. It wasn't the first one;
indeed, dozens of billfolds from the Korean War era have turned up in
heating ducts and floorboards in the past 10 years.
The discoveries have attracted attention from local and national media,
and were featured on NBC's Today show, according to Tonya Strickland,
who reported on the latest find for the Tribune of nearby San Luis Obispo.
Inside the wallet were the movie ticket stubs, David's Army ID card, a
blood donor card that shows the dates he'd given blood, a Sigma Alpha
Epsilon fraternity card from his chapter (Montana Beta at the University of
Montana), and his Selective Service registration card.
"I guess when you Google somebody you can find almost anybody
anywhere," David said.
He is looking forward to checking out what he lost all those years ago.
The Nelsons have been married for nearly 56 years, and consider their home
to be Cottonwood Heights, a town south of Salt Lake City in the foothills
of the Wasatch Range. You can contact David at dhnelson@xmission.com.
Reported by Kim Briggeman, Missoulian
Executive Officers
President
Tucker Finley Jr. '14
Missoula, Mont.
(406) 529-5621
tucker.finley@umontana.edu
Vice President
Jeremy Stewart Jr. '15
Missoula, Mont.
Treasurer
Steven Schuster Jr. '15
Big Fork, Mont.
Recorder
Mike Kiesel '16
Chicago, Ill.
Scholarship Chairman
Austin Albrecht '16
Minneapolis, Minn.
House Manager
Conor Ellert Jr. '15
Spokane, Wash.
Recruitment Chairman
Connor Klink Jr. '15
Seattle, Wash.
(425) 445-7651
connor.klink@umontana.edu
Philanthropy Chairman
Keith Dorris '14
Billings, Mont.
Chapter Eternal
Raymond E. Wise Jr. '43 entered Chapter Eternal on January 22, 2013.
Ray's wife, Harriet, said he loved his SAE connections and is probably
singing SAE songs with his brothers in Heaven.
SAE
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