Nels, who took early retirement as public relations chief of New Jersey Bell Telephone Co. and capped a second career as a recording narrator of unabridged books on CDs and cassettes, died of prostate cancer April 7, 2013, at his Yardley, Pa., home. In 2002 he won the Audie, equivalent of the movies’ Oscar, for his presentation of David McCullough’s biography John Adams.

A Pittsburgh native, he entered Princeton from Mount Lebanon High School, announced for WPRU, conducted the marching and concert bands, and roomed with and dined at Quadrangle with the club’s treasurer, Bill Anderson. Nearby neighbor Don Conover, an audio book enthusiast for 20 years, recalls with Bill that Nels narrated more than 160 books and both agree that Nels was “the best.”

Nels’ spoken words also won prestigious awards for Walter Isaacson’s Benjamin Franklin: An American Life in 2004 and Robert Dallek’s Nixon and Kissinger: Partners in Power in 2008, including Best Voices of the Year. He also enjoyed recording many of John McPhee’s books.

Look for ’53 secretary John Stone collaborating with Nels’ wife, Peggy, for more about Nels on Charlie Barham’s class website. And look for Peggy Runger in company with Patti and Don Conover at our 60th. Nels also leaves son N. Logan III and his wife, Mary, and granddaughter Caitlyn.

Undergraduate Class of 1953