Nelson Page Aspen, Sr.

Nelson Page Aspen, Senior; Born January 19, 1925, Died October 3, 2018. Nelson, or “Doc” as many knew him was the husband of Joyce Ann Aspen and the father of Pamela Aspen, Leslie (and James McGuire) and Nelson Aspen, Junior (and Jonathan Roskes). He was also step-father to Maurice (Reese) Friedman (and Mary) and David Friedman. He was grandfather to Allison (and Peter D’Andrea), Jenifer Tedeschi, Mickey McGuire (and Catherine), Page Ann (and Andy Linden), Molly Kate (and Tom Tardivo), Chavah (and Tim Redmond), Alicia (and Alex Savary), Josh (and Char Friedman) and their combined twenty two great grand children.

As well as being an exceptional orthopedic surgeon he was an accomplished numismatist. He founded the Chester County Currency Club of West Chester, Pennsylvania in 1971, which still meets to this day. He has written two books on

Bermuda Currency and assisted in setting up the Bermuda Monetary Authority’s Money Museum. He has served on the United States Treasury Historical Society, The United States Assay

Commission, and numerous other numismatic related organizations. The two dollar bill is back in circulation largely because of his efforts. He was also a member of the American Numismatic Association and Chester County Historical Society among many others.

Doc began his medical practice in West Chester’s Memorial Hospital in 1959. In 1968 he and four others spearheaded the establishment of The Paoli Memorial Hospital in Paoli, Pennsylvania. He was Chief of Orthopedics there until he retired in 1990, after which he became a member of the Distinguished Emeritus Staff. His love of medicines began early. He was in High School at Frankfort High when he began to realize this would be his life’s passion, one that would make many of his other interests possible. When he Graduated Frankfort High in 1942 he entered

The Citadel Military College in South Carolina. He had attended there for two years when he entered World War II.

After WWII he returned to finish his degree and then continued on to Jefferson Medical School graduating in 1952, grateful to the Navy for making it possible to get his advanced education. He served in Korea and Vietnam and ultimately ended up in West Chester, Pennsylvania on staff at the hospital which would become part of his legacy.

His medical service wasn’t limited to Paoli Memorial. He served in Coatesville at the VA Hospital and after his retirement was on standby during the first Gulf War at his request. Doc loved his country. He was a member of several veterans organization including the VFW and the American Legion. To this day an American Flag flies at home.

He was also proud of his heritage. His family line traces back to Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop under King Henry the VIII, and Dick Turpin, the famous highwayman of 18th century England. Reference the poem by Alfred Noyes. Doc even owned a horse that resembled Turpin’s horse, Black Bess, an all black mare with one white foot and an white mark on her forehead. To that end Doc tried his hand at owning a small colonial farm in 1963, 9 acres. There were several orchards, 2 small grape arbors, chickens, horses, ponies, rabbits and pigeons. He made his own wine, traded livestock at the Ephrata Farmers Market, and grew vegetables.

With the two older daughters off on their own and married, and the next two older sons in college or working, Joyce Ann decided that the country life had out lived its usefulness thereby sparing the youngest from cleaning stalls, mowing pastures and repairing barn roofs.

The remaining family moved into West Chester proper.

The one thing he did not let go of was his love of his dogs. Early on he had raised Boxers, but in his latter days he rescued the dogs that no one wanted. Kleina, Shasta, Logan, Sonny, and now Craig have been his four footed children. Craig, his latest, a pit bull/boxer mix, has now taken over the role as Joyce’s guardian. Craig still looks to the front door, waiting for his master to return.

As life in the 90’s began to settle down in West Chester Doc perfected his avocations. He enjoyed history and delved in to his family lineages both in England and here in the States. A relative of his served in the 3rd Pennsylvania Calvary during the Civil War. He loved reading about President Lincoln, the campaigns and ultimately the ending of the war. He loved watching the History Channel and the Military Channel. He was a man of the Greatest Generation and valued and loved our country.

On October 3rd, after three long years of battling congestive heart failure he finished this part of his journey and let go to find out what’s next.

If you desire to make a donation in thanksgiving for Doc’s life please do so to Wounded Warriors or the Chester County SPCA. Their phone numbers are 855-448-3997 and 610-6926113 respectively.

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