Thomas Hutson Nelson

On August 16,2026, Thomas Hutson Nelson…. known to all as Tom, Tommy, or Doc…passed away at his home. He was born April 25, 1931 to Bernard Stanley Nelson and Mary Lockett Hutson Nelson in New Orleans.

His boyhood years were often spent in Pearlington MS, where he fell in love with the outdoors and a life filled with hunting and fishing on the Pearl River. A “Bayou Brother” early on, he could easily stand in a pirogue and paddle to his hearts content. The pursuit of waterfowl and fishing became an obsession. Duck hunting specifically became his lifelong passion as evidenced by hundreds of carved decoys and many duck boat / blind contraptions he built as an adult.

Both his parents were avid campers and sportsmen and they knew best to personally build a wonderful weekend home for their 5 children on the banks of the Pearl, referred to as “Camp”. His dad, on a good hunt, would come back with a sack full of ducks. His mother often paddled Tommy, as a little boy, while fishing for green bass or “saculait” …a Cajun French name for crappie. One bass caught was so large that he feared it would flip out the boat, so he sat on it with his nine-year-old body while Mom paddled back to the dock. As an adult, his obsession for the duck hunt convinced his 4 kids he must have been a duck in his first life.

Doc knew the value of a weekend retreat away from city life. He too personally built a home lovingly referred to as “The Cabin” on a peaceful cove of Lake Tawakoni, Texas. It is here that Doc spent his last 25 years of peace and quiet.

After graduating from Newman High School in 1949, Tommy then attended Tulane University where he earned his medical degree in 1956. Married and enlisted as a Captain in the US Army, he moved to Hawaii where two of his children were born. There he built a wonderful sailboat that his best friend eventually abandoned in high seas. Boat was never found. Friend was OK.

Tom, or Doc, was a wonderful doctor! Very smart and often consulted by his doctor peers for his ability as brilliant diagnostician. Doc had an uncanny ability to be correct when it came to diseases. On one occasion, his step-son Donnie had inhaled a sewing needle while playing with a homemade dart gun. X-rays clearly showed the needle in the center bottom of a lung. All was ready in the operating room with several doctors assisting when Doc said “Wait a minute. Let’s hold him upside down by his feet and smack his back hard.” One cough later, the needle flew out his mouth and across the floor! All the doctors hollered ‘No WAY Nelson!”

Dr. Nelson delivered over 2000 babies. His career at Family Medicine was one of his greatest accomplishments since helping people was what he did.

At retirement, he pursued his other passions. He could paint a canvas beautifully, carve a duck or shorebird magnificently, and use his wit brilliantly as manifest in his pen names: “Dr. Phil Good” or “Dr. Jerry Attrick” …. published for years in his local newspaper.

Take for instance the time Doc was pulled over by Dallas’ finest…and during the course of writing the ticket, the officer recognized Doc since he was a patient. “Hey Doc, I’m so sorry…but I started writing the ticket

already and have to complete it. By the way, can you give my wife the new birth control pills?” “Sure thing.” Doc said. The next week after her office visit Doc said, “By the way, you do know your husband gave me a ticket last week, don’t you?” “I know,” she blushed “and I’m sorry. But he had to…” “OK then, you can pick up your prescription later today…so you really don’t know if these pills are the real thing or…sugar pills, do you?” “Aw, you wouldn’t do that would you Dr. Nelson?” “Time will tell” …as he left her with his best Mona Lisa smile.

Tom will be remembered by his good friends with the hush before dawn on a cold hunt, the serene patience of fishing, or his laughter echoing after a bad joke. Those who knew him understood that life’s deepest joys lay waiting in these quiet places, shared with both two-legged and four-legged friends.

He is survived by his children; Chris Nelson MD, Thomas Nelson (Gina), David Nelson MD (Amy), Miriam “Mimi” Nelson; grandchildren Adam Nelson, Allison Nelson Hudson (Peter), Molly Nelson Weatherly (Kyle), Dylan Nelson (Lauren); great grandchildren Natalie Nelson, Micah and Lilian Weatherly.