Page 6 - Newsletter_Spring_2020

SPOTLIGHT

ON ALUMNI

Stephen Nelson

Class of 1995

By Lauren Peabody Fitzpatrick ‘86

This morning at breakfast, I happily enjoyed some delicious maple syrup, fresh from Hammond Plantation and delivered by none other
than Steve Nelson. Hours of wood splitting, trail making, tree tapping, sap collecting, fire tending and syrup boiling turned out multiple
bottles of syrup.

Steve shared - more generously, than either my father or grandfather
did! He’s a man of many talents.

When you think of Steve, you might picture a tall, dark and
handsome guy in a fitted suit, crisp white shirt and tie (now
covered by a judicial robe). That’s Steve during the day. Nights and
weekends, he trades in his spiffy work duds for some get-to-work
Carharts and a ball cap - and it’s anyone’s guess as to what project
he’s headed to work on. This past spring, as Covid-19 began its
rage, Steve spent some time “up on B” as we call it - Township B
or (Hammond Plantation). For several years, maple syrup has been
produced by one member of the family or another and for the third
year in a row, Steve produced some fine maple syrup, this being
the best haul yet. Constantly researching and searching for ways
to improve the process, it’s no wonder that it just gets better every
year.

As the spring ended and warmer weather arrived, Steve turned to
another hobby - carpentry. He has many projects in the works -
currently finishing up a large deck. Whether it’s working on his
wife's barn, a backyard castle, or a small building for the boys to
Stephen Nelson (left), a Houlton resident and former District Court wait for the bus ...he’s always got the skill saw and hammer at the
Judge and lawyer, is sworn in by Maine Governor Janet Mills as the ready.
new Aroostook County Superior Court Justice on Jan. 31.
(Courtesy of Maine Department of Justice)
When I asked what was on the agenda for the rest of this weekend,
he mentioned a new project: sanding and painting an aluminum boat. He and his boys were going to take on a new project together. The
type of project may change depending on the season, but the underlying drive, determination and desire to broaden and improve his skill
set remains constant. It is certainly understandable why he’s just so successful personally and professionally.

Steve was born in Houlton, the son of Daniel ‘70 and Sherry (Jones) Nelson ‘70. He has two sisters Pamela Nelson Paquette ‘88 and the
late Dr. Elizabeth Nelson Ervin ‘93. Steve grew up on Washburn Street and attended school in Houlton. Like the rest of his family, he had
a knack for playing basketball. Steve graduated from Houlton High School in 1995. When asked, Steve noted: “I felt very fortunate to have
had many extraordinary teachers at Houlton High. In particular, Mrs. Wendy Lewis stands out as a fantastic teacher who challenged her
students and pushed us to do our best.”

After high school, Steve went on to University of Southern Maine and University of Maine School of Law. “After attending a trial with my
father when I was in fifth grade, I knew I wanted a career in law.”
Photo courtesy of Penny Nevers ‘61
While studying at Maine Law, he met Janel Peabody ‘91. They returned to Houlton in 2002, and were married in 2003. Steve joined his
father and Gary Severson ‘57 at Severson, Hand and Nelson, specializing in family law, small business representation, civil litigation and

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