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Light a Candle
Michael 'Mike' John Nelson was born to James ‘JD’ David and Gussie Nelson (nee, Pitts) on December 25, 1953. He was the second son of three children: James 'Jimi' David and Renee Simone. James ‘JD’ David, Gussie, and Renee all preceded him in death. Mike grew up and attended schools in the vicinity of the family home on Carleton Street in Berkeley, CA. After graduating from Berkeley High, he briefly pursued a secondary education by attending the Peralta Colleges concentrating in Marine Biology and Communications. His studies introduced him to ocean life and from this Mike went on to spend a substantial period becoming quite proficient at sports diving for abalone (sea snail). In 1973, Mike met Phyllis Mosley of Oakland, which changed the course of his concentration. In 1977, they were married and begin their life as one. From this union, two children were born: Michael John, II and Phylicia Simone. In that same year, Mike began his primary employment with the University of California, Berkeley/ Albany Village (UCB), and part-time with Bill Graham Presents (BGP). Later, he moved on to assist other event venues and music industry executives, when not working for his primary employer. He retired from UCB in 2015. He continued to work live music and entertainment events until his death. Since his childhood, Mike always had an appreciation for spiritual things. By the time he and Phyllis began their fifteenth year of marriage, Mike noticed a change in his wife’s normal Saturday morning routine. She began having Bible discussions with polite women well versed in the Bible. Initially, he received those new visits with some skepticism. However, as he began to see how the information positively impacted his wife and son, and what the Bible really teaches on a number of questions he personally needed satisfied, then his own Bible discussions ensued. On January 2, 2000, he symbolized his personal dedication to Jehovah, by public water baptism, with his wife Phyllis on the same day. Both would later comment that Mike ended up getting baptized first, just 5 minutes before Phyllis, even though he began his study of the Bible much later. Mike grew to center his life on speaking about Jehovah, the divine revelations in His word the Bible, and remained determined to serve Him faithfully regardless of personality differences or ridicule from opposers. Although Mike considered himself a very nervous public speaker, he would prayerfully rely on Jehovah to handle speaking assignments aimed at teaching in his local congregation. Doing so would surely help him to successfully encourage those in the audience. Mike was always willing to lovingly assist those in need, and because of his generous and humble spirit he enjoyed many privileges of service. Mike continued leaning on Jehovah God through prayerful reliance, not self-reliance, in order to personally cultivate love, humility, and industriousness while enjoying the privilege of assisting others. Mike loved spending time with Phyllis, and their children’s families on excursions to Half Moon Bay, Bodega Bay, Windsor, Clear Lake, Bear Lake, and Angels Camp, CA. He was very excited about his gifted vacation with Phyllis to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary (2017) on the largest Fijian island, Viti Levu. It encouraged him very much to be able to experience, firsthand, the worldwide unity in worship amongst Jehovah’s Witnesses, as he attended all the weekly meetings in the Nadi English Congregation, Fiji. He even spent one last notable free dive in the South Pacific Ocean while visiting the South Sea Island (Vunivandra) with Phyllis. Mike enjoyed waking up to read his personal copy of the Bible, playing riffs on his guitar, deep-sea fishing, pole fishing with Jimi, and diving on occasion. He adopted the moniker ‘Scuba’, because he loved the water and anything edible that swam in it! Mike had an eclectic taste, he was a gentle man, at times he was firm, and he loved his family and close friends, he sought to positively impact any who knew him. Mike chose not to be defined by titles; instead he made concerted effort to live the way he wanted to be remembered. Many will truly miss Mike. Mike left his dear surviving family members to continue his legacy: Phyllis, his beloved compliment and wife; son Michael John II (Naomi); daughter Phylicia; grand-daughter Nala; grandson Nazanhe; big brother James ‘Jimi’ David; sisters-in-law Sandra Dover, Norma (Harry ‘Rann’) Ryles, and Robin Mosley; uncles; aunts; nieces; nephews; and beloved favorite cousins: Tony (Vicki) Slaton, Kent Slaton, Mark Slaton, Dion Slaton, LaVonne Slaton; cousins-in-law Pierre Mosley and Adil Alatig; second-cousin-in-law Cleaston Paulk; family friends James Ernie (Malinder) Wiley, Julius (Greer) White, Jeffery (Danielle) Williams, Danny Sylvester, Manfred (Rose) Hunold, and Ray (Hiromi) Chandrasekra. All his close spiritual family of Jehovah's Witnesses; Williams Street neighbors; UCB friends; Saltwater Revival sports diving group members; various event venue friends; BGP/ANOTHER PLANET friends and all the entertainment event production friends in between.
