Braintree Celebrates Life Of Late Recreation Director Nelson Chin
BRAINTREE, MA — The death of Braintree Recreation Director Nelson Chin has the community mourning, and town officials and residents alike have spent the last few days celebrating his life and what he meant to the town.
Chin, 66, died Friday, Dec. 18 due to complications with the coronavirus. Throughout the years, Chin served as recreation director and spent countless hours volunteering with Braintree Youth Soccer.
It was in youth soccer that many residents got to know Chin, and those relationships lasted throughout the years.
Town Councilor David Ringius said he first got to know Chin when the councilor was just 14 and still a student at Braintree High School. Ringius had just started coaching youth soccer. Chin's son was on Braintree Youth Soccer's board of directors for the age group Ringius was coaching, and Chin was always around the soccer field.
“He was just this kind of fixture in Braintree soccer," Ringius said. "He was a guy that was always there always at the snack bar. You could tell he loved being there. And over the years, lot of things have changed and lots of people changed, but Nelson Chin was still around helping."
And to Chin, soccer or any of the other activities he ran with Braintree Recreation were never just about the sport. It was an opportunity to brighten a kid's day and make a difference in the community.
"Nelson would hoard Nutty Buddies ice cream in the freezer and each week, some unsuspecting kid was treated to one," said George Cawron, the town's director of referees for youth soccer. "If they brought up the goals, corner flags or god forbid helped do trash pickup, he would say, 'Hey kid you want a Nutty Buddy?' Never did they go to the adults. He was there for the kids!"
Those that worked with Chin also appreciated his kindness, hard work and sense of humor. Assistant Recreation Director Christopher Griffin said Chin's laugh was contagious, and there wasn't an hour that passed by when something wouldn't bring that out.
"He had a great sense of humor, and when you work with someone like that, it makes the job that much better," Griffin said. "If there's one thing you realize about Nelson, it's how much he cares about the people he works with and the people who he works with around town. The man made friends wherever he went, and he just cared so much about everyone in his life."
Chin spent the end of his life making sure sports returned safely to Braintree amid the coronavirus pandemic. Ringius said Chin worked hard all spring and summer finding solutions to getting Braintree's youth back on the sports fields.
Ringius said his last memories of Chin were him walking the track at night around Braintree High School while Ringius coached his daughter's soccer team.
"The season ended in mid November, and I would see him in late October and early November walking the track," Ringius said. He'd always stop to say hi. It was crazy and so sudden. He was a healthy guy that just walked the track every night."
In Chin's memory, Mayor Charles Kokoros said the town will hang blue ribbons throughout Braintree. His service will be next week, and obituary information can be found here.
"Nelson touched the lives of so many in our community, and his love for Braintree was evident in everything he did, from running Braintree Youth Soccer, to attending a youth sports game, emceeing a Town event or enjoying a summer concert at Sunset Lake," Kokoros said."Nelson’s trademark smile, contagious laugh and positive outlook will be missed by all who had the great fortune of knowing him."
This article originally appeared on the Braintree Patch
