Bruce Nelson

It is with a great deal of sadness that the Albany Newspaper Guild reports the passing of Bruce Nelson, a retired Guild international representative, who came to Albany to assist our local and in many ways never left. Bruce died Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023 after an illness.

Bruce was a friend, mentor and eventually an Albany Guild member who provided support and leadership in assisting our local when he first arrived in the early 1990s.

Bruce found friends among our ranks, respect from Times Union leaders and perhaps most importantly established family ties. Bruce met, fell in love with and married former Albany Guild President Melissa Nelson.

While both Melissa and Bruce have retired from The News Guild and lived in Laurel, Maryland, that did not end their support for us in our current contract negotiations with the Times Union. Melissa has been providing us advice during our contract negotiations. Melissa relayed Bruce’s observations about our situation which helped us immensely.

Bruce was extremely intelligent, possessed insight, was a keen judge of human nature, had a sly sense of humor, friendly and had a knowledge of labor relations that benefitted not only all of us in Albany, but across the Guild.

Bruce arrived in Albany when our local leadership asked then international Guild President Chuck Dale to send us his best international field rep. Bruce arrived and that began a relationship of more than 30 years between him and our local.

Melissa has been providing us advice and support during our contract negotiations. Melissa relayed Bruce’s observations about our situation which helped us immensely.

An obituary for Bruce will be running in the Times Union, the Washington Post and the two Minnesota newspapers where he began his journalism career as a reporter and went to work for the Guild.

Services will be held next week in Laurel, Maryland.

Obituary for Bruce Raymond Nelson