Nelson Wilford Lodge

Former Stanford University Head Men’s Soccer Coach and Los Altos High School Girls Soccer Coach Nelson Wilford Lodge, “Coach,” passed away peacefully at his home in Grants Pass, Oregon on November 18, 2024. He was 87 years old. 

Born on December 13, 1936 in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania to mother Mary (Matlock) and father Nelson Lodge, Nelson was one of four children. He is predeceased by sister Carol and brothers Robert (Bobby) and Donald. He is survived by his four children: Anneliese Turck (Matt) of Sun Valley, ID, Kristoph Lodge (Rachel) of Cape Town, SA, Stefaan Lodge (Carly) of Palo Alto, CA, and Erika Boissiere (Phil) of San Rafael, CA; grandchildren Parker, Easton, Oliver, Piper, Quinn, Carter, Kennedy, Madison, Jack, and Elise; ex wife Monica Venema of Redwood City, CA and wife Josie Mendez of Fremont, CA, along with various relatives in Pennsylvania. 

Nelson lived a full life in California and Oregon. His love of fly fishing the many rivers of Montana, Oregon, and Wyoming along with skeet shooting and soccer topped his love-of-life list. Anyone who knew him also knew he loved dancing and listening to 70s music–Steely Dan, Steve Winwood, The Doobie Brothers, Earth, Wind, and Fire, Gordon Lightfoot, Christopher Cross–most often in his dark brown convertible Mercedes 350 SL cruising CA State Highway 280 to ‘clean the carburetors.’ And then there was soccer. He earned his way into Westchester State University for soccer prior to transferring to East Stroudsburg University, and throughout his life, playing, coaching and watching consumed him: he was good at it all. Other loves included playing golf and pheasant hunting with his English Setter Bruder (hosting the occasional pheasant BBQ), and all animals. Nelson loved feeding his blue jays peanuts from his hand and befriending the skunk and raccoon families who visited and came out to show off their babies to him in the yards of the various homes he lived in throughout his life. And last but not least, he loved his children and their children and was proud of each and every one. 

Nelson graduated from East Stroudsburg University in 1961 with a BS in Exercise Physiology and Health Education followed by his Masters from San Jose State in 1968. In 1958, he met the former Monica Venema at East Stroudsburg University. The two married in Yuba City in 1963. Following graduation, the couple moved to California where they both taught middle school in Watts until landing in Los Altos, California in the early 70s. Nelson earned his A-Coaching License from the U.S. Soccer Association in England under the renowned Detmar Kramer. He served as the Head Men’s Soccer coach at Mission College in Fremont, CA, California State Hayward, and then at Stanford University where he remained from 1976-1983. During his time at Stanford, he was instrumental in getting the World Cup and Olympics to be played on Stanford’s fields. His mark on Cardinal soccer remains to this day: he is one of 3 coaches in the program’s history to have at least three consecutive double-digit win seasons. His record stands at 95-56-15 (.617) and conference 26-20-5 (.559). And boy, did he know how to pick his players: Nelson’s soccer recruits still hold university records for scoring, assists, and shutouts to this day. Many afternoons after a practice or game found Nelson sitting at the wooden tables under the oak trees over a pitcher of beer at Rossotti’s, the Dutch Goose, or The Oasis or hosting team deck parties at their home on Hilltop Drive in Los Altos Hills. Following his time at Stanford, Nelson coached the Los Altos High School girls soccer team in the 1980s where he was able to coach his daughter, Annelie. He once again found coaching success at Los Altos, leading the girls team to numerous victories and championships. For his high school players during this time, he is most remembered for his loud booming coaching voice and the sound of his white 250 Mercedes sedan roaring up to practice with him singing along to tunes blaring such as the Pet Shop Boys “What Have I Done to Deserve This” as he parked for practice. 

Nelson and Monica raised their four children in Los Altos and Los Altos Hills, California during the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. He was the cook in the family and his children will remember with laughter the brown bag lunches he made diligently each morning for them: pickles wrapped in foil that leaked, half bananas that were smashed, frozen waffle peanut butter sandwiches, and even once, a fish. Summers in the 70s were spent running the Stanford Soccer Camp with Monica cooking lunches to hungry soccer campers including sloppy Joes, spaghetti, Jello squares, and big garbage cans of Kool-Aid. At camp’s end, the Lodges packed up with Nelson behind the wheel of his white with a blue stripe Volkswagen pop top camper in search of the pristine trout streams that can be found throughout Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. He could name any stretch and hole of a river he found success in in addition to the appropriate fly to use. The tug at the end of the line was pure joy for him. 

Starting in 1984, each of the Lodge children either participated or worked as counselors at the family’s Golden Eagle Summer Sports Camp in Los Altos, organizing made-up games such as Norwegian Kickball, braiding hair, or handing out Otter Pops. Summer trips to Germany to see family were followed at camp’s end by trips spearheaded by Monica to warm locales including the Cayman Islands, Harbour Island, the Abacos, Tortola, Belize, Trinidad & Tobago, Costa Rica, Mexico, and St. Croix, unheard of destinations back then. Though he always began a trip having to be coaxed into going, by the end it was standard to hear him say it was the best trip of his life. Christmas time took the Lodges to Bear Valley and in later years, Fulpmes, Austria, a small village in the Tyrol region where they spent time together snowboarding, walking, talking, and sledding down mountain slopes on New Year’s Eve. It is these trips that made not only memories of a lifetime, but also instilled a love of travel and adventures and a desire to seek out ‘the different’ in his children. In his later years, he picked up skeet shooting and in true Nelson fashion, rose through the ranks to earn All-American honors in the senior divisions. His favorite way to pass his time was making shells in his garage. 

Nelson married Josie Mendez in the mid 2000s and for many years they resided together in Pleasanton, California, splitting time between their homes in Oregon and California. 

Nelson will be privately celebrated by his family next summer on the banks of the Salmon River near Stanley, Idaho. The Salmon River was one of the many rivers he found happiness in, surrounded by the mountains, fresh air, and the trout he loved to catch. He will be missed by all who knew him.