Donald Lee Nelson, 80, of Circleville passed away July 14, 2024, at Grant Rehabilitation and Care Center in Petersburg.
He was born Aug. 7, 1943, at Cherry Grove and was the son of the late Emma Lee Rymer Barkley and the stepson of the late Wardell Barkley.
Mr. Nelson graduated from Circleville High School and Potomac State College. He attended a 75-week course in Technical Electronics in Hyattsville, Maryland and did an internship from 1966 – 1970 at Fairchild Hiller Corp. in Germantown, Maryland.
In 1971, he became an intermediate technician at Green Bank Observatory and later became a telescope operator. He had secret security clearance and observed frequencies of three 85’ telescopes and one 45’ telescope at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory.
He was a member of the Circleville Presbyterian Church.
He enjoyed hunting. His pride and joy were his horses. He loved going on trail rides.
Surviving are two sisters, Judy Warner of Stafford, Virginia, and Diana Hiner (Darrell) of Cherry Grove; two brothers, Kenneth Barkley (Bonnie) of Moorefield and Richard Barkley (Nancy) of Circleville; and a number of nieces and nephews.
He was also preceded in death by two sisters, Patty Barkley and Carolyn Steele.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Kimble Funeral Home in Franklin, where a funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Friday with Rev. Fletcher Hutcheson officiating. Interment will be in the Dry Run Hinkle Cemetery.
Memorials may be made toward his funeral expenses, c/o Krista Hiner, 33 Royal Glen Road, Petersburg, WV 26847
Online condolences and memories may be shared at www.kimblefuneralhome.com.
