About 150 co-workers, family members, friends and a guide dog named Rocco paid their final respects at the School of Law Auditorium Saturday afternoon to a former faculty member who, despite his disability, excelled at his profession.

Dr. Randall H. Nelson died March 25 at the age of 78. He was born in Mobile, Ala., in 1919. He served as an army captain during World War II and was permanently blinded by German bazooka shell fire while crossing the Rhine River. He was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart oak cluster awards for his heroics.

Nelson came to SIUC in 1955 after receiving his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate from the University of Michigan and being elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He joined the Political Science Department and served as chairman and professor until he retired from teaching in 1984. Nelson served as faculty and staff ombudsman from 1982-1989. During his tenure at SIUC, he could be seen walking around campus with his guide dogs.

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Nelson was active in the political spectrum as well. He served as Jackson County chairman for John F. Kennedy’s presidential election campaign in 1960 and for Paul Simon’s 1970 gubernatorial campaign.

John Jackson, vice-chancellor for Academic Affairs and provost, said it was Nelson who recruited him to SIUC in 1969 when he was looking for his first teaching job.

Randy, I thought when I interviewed here, would be the first boss and the first chair that I could enjoy working with, Jackson said. Randy was not only my first chair, but he became a mentor in every respect and a great friend.

Jackson said through Nelson he met politicians such as Paul Simon, Dick Durbin and Walter Mondale. He said the Nelson home was a place where political conversations were welcome.

The Nelson living room was always a great place for political gathering, whether it was formal or informal conversation about politics and government, Jackson said. Randy loved politics, he loved government, he loved the law and he loved the Constitution.

John Foster, former chairman of the Political Science Department, commended Nelson for his keen ability to touch every person he met.

He had a gift to cause you to see yourself, Foster said. He taught us all what the human spirit was able to accomplish.

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Foster related an article he had read that said there were not any heroes left in the world. But if that author had spent some time in Southern Illinois with Randy, that article would have come out entirely different, Foster said.

Kirsten Trimble, who was Nelson’s reader for more than 20 years, said some students were not convinced of his disability.

There were some students who thought he could really see, because when a student would talk, he would turn towards them and look right at them, Trimble said. I am going to miss him a lot and miss the discussion of politics.

Nelson’s brother, James, said Nelson was his inspiration.

My brother was my hero, Nelson said. We spent many happy days together growing up.

In academics, he was cum laude. In life, he was magna cum laude.