Overcoming Obstacles Over and Over Again
By Lucy LeVon
Photos of Pauline Vonda Nelson Chandler, courtesy of Find a Grave.
Pauline Vonda Nelson Chandler
March 3, 1934 – September 22, 2013
Harry Nelson Jr. had just celebrated his fifteenth birthday when he got the best present of all, a little sister. Pauline Vonda Nelson was born on March 3, 1934, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Harry Sr. and Dorothy Nelson.[1] Only two years later, her father would gain a promotion and the whole family would move to Santa Monica, California. Tragically, Harry Sr. would be struck by an automobile and pass away within their first year living in California. A few months prior to this, Harry Jr. had enlisted in the Navy to serve in the upcoming World War. Dorothy, now alone with Pauline, who was only three years old, decided it would be best to move back to Utah to be surrounded by family. Dorothy would work at a department store to support her family, but she soon fell ill with breast cancer. According to the 1940 census, Dorothy was able to hire live-in help to take care of herself and Pauline. This woman, Winona Hutchins, would fall in love with Harry Jr. when he returned on leave, and they would marry in 1941. Unfortunately, Dorothy would not survive her diagnosis and passed away the following year in 1942, leaving Pauline an orphan at eight years old. With her brother stationed in Hawaii, Pauline moved in with her aunt and uncle, Herman and Mamie Erdman. At the height of World War II, her brother was sent on a dive bomber mission against Japanese forces. It is unknown what exactly happened, but Harry’s plane did not return, and he was declared dead one year and one day after he went missing.
Pauline would continue to deal with the loss of her father, mother, and brother as she lived in Utah with her aunt and uncle. She was forced to become an incredibly resilient human after dealing with these tragic losses at such a young age. In June of 1952, she graduated with only sixteen other girls from St. Mary of the Wasatch Academy. Pauline did not want to waste any time and would right away continue her education through St. Mary of the Wasatch College, and then to the Holy Cross Hospital School of Nursing. She likely wanted to honor her brother by following in his footsteps by serving her country as a nurse. During her time at Holy Cross, she met Charles William Chandler, and the two tied the knot in October of 1959. According to the U.S. City Directory, the two lived in Salt Lake through the early 60s. Pauline did not enlist right away but rather used her skills locally by working as a nurse in Salt Lake.
In August of 1966, Pauline decided she could not simply stand by and watch the horrors of the Vietnam War unfold. Due to her heartbreaking childhood, she knew the reality of injuries and illnesses that can plague anyone and knew she could help. She enlisted in the United States Army Nurse Corps and quickly rose to the rank of Captain due to her experience and leadership. She would go on to serve in Vietnam and is remembered for her deep devotion and caring nature. One soldier even remembered her staying by his side for over twenty-four hours after he had an emergency appendectomy in a hospital near Tuy Hoa. During the Vietnam War, nurses worked in incredibly dangerous and intense situations while providing care for wounded soldiers. Once again, Pauline displayed courage, kindness, and dedication to anyone who needed it. Pauline would spend roughly the next thirty years serving in the Nurse Corps. Over the years, she would meet countless people who remained her friends for the years to come. Although her exact discharge date is unknown, she served throughout the Persian Gulf War and was awarded a Meritorious Service Medal.
After returning to the United States sometime in the early 1990s, Pauline decided to retire in Aurora, Colorado. She continued to take care of anyone who needed it, including a pregnant stray cat. She would end up giving away many of the kittens to her neighbors or anyone with a loving home. Pauline also found a new love for the Colorado baseball team, the Rockies, and spent her retirement as an usher for games. Pauline may have had a rough childhood, but she found a way to surround herself with love and community wherever she went. On September 22, 2013, Pauline would peacefully pass away in Colorado and reunite with her father, mother, and brother.
Footnotes ↓
[1] Information for this biography can be found at:
“Harry W. Nelson’s Memorial,” Honor Veterans Legacies at VLM, accessed August 15, 2025, https://www.vlm.cem.va.gov/HARRYWNELSON/09AB7D0.
“Pauline Vonda Nelson,” FamilySearch.org, accessed August 15, 2025, https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/GSZ7-MQ1/pauline-vonda-nelson-1934-2013.
“US, Army Registers, 1798-1969,” Fold3, March 11, 2014, accessed August 15, 2025, https://www.fold3.com/document/312793345/1969-vol-3-page-283-us-army-registers-1798-1969, 283.
“Pauline Chandler’s Memorial,” Pauline Chandler Obituary | Altogether, March 5, 2024, accessed August 15, 2025, https://www.afterall.com/obituaries/PaulineChandler.
“Pauline Chandler Obituary,” Denver Post, Legacy.com, September 29, 2013, accessed August 15, 2025, https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/denverpost/name/pauline-chandler-obituary?id=17854153.
“Photos of Pauline Vonda Nelson Chandler,” Find a Grave, accessed August 15, 2025, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/127775525/pauline_vonda-chandler/photo.
More Stories
