Ready to be served: Kingsway resident retires after long career in public service
For most of his life, Harley Nelson served others. He held various roles in the military and law enforcement. Now, as a resident of Kingsway Retirement Living, Harley is ready to be served and cared for by our dedicated team.
Harley was born and raised in Hallock, Minn. Harley and his late wife, Irena, lived together in Inver Grove Heights for more than 20 years. Together, they had three children and six grandchildren. After Irena was called home to Heaven, Harley began looking for opportunities for more social interaction. “I realized that I needed to be around people,” Harley explains.
His children, one of whom lives in Belle Plaine, wanted Harley to be close-by and in a home where he could receive care if needed. The answer was simple, Kingsway.
Harley moved to Kingsway in September 2022. He remembers feeling impressed during his very first visit. “The staff were so friendly,” recalls Harley.
Before moving to Kingsway, Harley served in the Department of Corrections (DOC) for 43 years in different positions that included custody officer, probation and parole officer, jail administrator, and Deputy Commissioner. He is also an Army veteran.
Harley began as a custody officer at the juvenile prison (now Minnesota Correctional Facility) in Lino Lakes. At the same time, Harley was working on his education.
After graduating high school, he attended the University of North Dakota for one year and then transferred to the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, where he graduated with two Bachelor’s degrees. He later earned his Master of Business Administration degree from the same school.
In 1971, Harley was drafted into the Army to serve as a case worker at Fort Riley in Kansas. He assisted military police captains in screening soldiers and determining when dishonorable discharges were necessary.
After the military, Harley got married and served as a parole agent for the State of Minnesota in Ramsey and Hennepin counties.
When a corrections facility opened in Crookston, Harley jumped at the opportunity to return to his northern Minnesota roots. Harley was the jail administrator for Tri-County Community Corrections for two years, where he served Norman, Polk, and Red Lake counties.
“I was the one with the keys,” he says, smiling.
He and his wife found their way back to the Twin Cities, where Harley would serve for the remainder of his career. He began working alongside Joan Fabian, director of Ramsey County Community Corrections, as an assistant director.
When Fabian was appointed Minnesota DOC Commissioner by then-governor Tim Pawlenty, Harley went with her. His final role before retirement in 2009 was Minnesota DOC Deputy Commissioner. In this role, Harley did field work, meeting with jurisdiction leaders and monitoring probation and parole. He was even honored as the DOC Person of the Year in 2008.
Despite his years of honorable service, Harley remains humble and always keeps the mood light with his jokester personality. We are blessed to have Harley as part of our Kingsway community.