Nancy Eleanor Nelson is born to parents Harry Harrison Nelson (1899-1977) and Helen Maude Murphy (1899-1985) on April 4, 1933, in El Paso, Texas.

Nancy, along with her brothers, assist their father, Harry Nelson, MD, with his Longmont-based general practice. The practice is located in the family home at 750 Fourth Avenue, Longmont, CO and serves many local farmers, migratory workers and their families.

Active throughout her high school years, Nancy plays the piano and violin and participates in speech and debate, theater and orchestra.

Graduates as the valedictorian of her Longmont High School senior class.

Enrolls at the University of Colorado Boulder where she resides in Harding Hall.

At CU Boulder, Nancy joins the Delta Delta Delta sorority and becomes a member of several academic honor societies including: Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Epsilon Delta, the world’s largest health pre-professional honor society, and Iota Sigma Pi, the national honor society for women in chemistry.

Graduates magna cum laude from CU Boulder with a degree in Distributed Studies.

Graduates from the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

At Case Western Reserve University, becomes the first woman chief resident in pediatrics. During her residency she works with renowned Dr. Benjamin Spock, author of The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care.