Nelson turns interest in law into legislative service

Above: Sen. John E. Nelson and his wife Judy pause for a photo in the George W. Norris Chamber the day Nelson was sworn into office.

Sen. John Nelson, an Omaha attorney, is building upon his interest in the law by representing District 6 in the Nebraska Legislature.

A district court case argued in his hometown by two prominent attorneys is responsible for Nelson’s chosen profession. He was in the eighth grade.

“That’s when I knew I wanted to be a lawyer,” he said.

Nelson was raised on a family farm in Geneva. After graduating from Geneva High School, he went on to study English and political science at the University of Nebraska. There he was elected to the Society of Innocents, the chancellor’s senior honorary. Upon graduation, he served as a Naval officer for three years aboard a destroyer in the western Pacific Ocean and currently holds the rank of retired Commander in the Naval Reserve.

He returned to Omaha and graduated from Creighton Law School, where he helped initiate the freshman moot court competition.

Nelson has practiced law ever since, focusing on small business law and estate planning.

He is a long-time member and past president of the Kiwanis Club of Omaha and a fellow of the Nebraska State Bar Foundation.

In 1975, he married Judy Throop. She had coincidentally taught English at Geneva High School, but they only met when she returned to Omaha to teach at Millard Central Middle School.

“I remember it was the year of the Great Blizzard and the Great Tornado, so it was a memorable year,” he said.

He and Judy have a daughter and two sons: Martha, a physical therapist, and J. Braden, a financial analyst, both in Minneapolis; and Andrew, an independent film director in Omaha.

Nelson served as the chief deputy election commissioner in Omaha for eight years. He attributes that experience to furthering his interest in government and elections and, eventually, leading him to run for public office.

He waited to do so until his children completed college so he could devote the time to a campaign. Judy served as his campaign manager through the primary election.

“Boy, I tell you, it was 24 hours a day,” he remembered, and his schedule hasn’t let up.

Since his election to the Legislature, Nelson has been focused on learning the ropes of being a new senator. Nelson serves on the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee, which he said requires a huge time commitment.

The committee met every afternoon during the first half of session, and since the hearing schedule ended, the committee has met every day over the lunch hour and again each night to formulate the state’s budget.

“It’s challenging, but I enjoy working on policy,” he said.

Nelson said he’s learned a lot about the state by serving on the committee. The huge number of agencies and government organizations and the extent of services they provide the public was a surprise to him, he said.

With those long hours and intensive work loads for a new senator, one might wonder how he handles the stress.

“Prayer,” he answers, smiling, “and getting a good night’s sleep.”