Remembering Nelson Otero

(Robert F. Rodriguez has gathered memories of Nelson from family and colleagues from the stoneyard. – RM)

I had the most amazing dad. I remember spending days with my Dad at the Stoneyard when I was a child. Some of the best memories watching what my dad loved to do. He loved the Stoneyard and everyone he worked with.

– Gloria Otero

“I remember Nelson particularly for being immediately friendly when we met. 

“When he introduced himself he explained his role at the yard and I could tell he was proud of the work he was doing. I could also tell from this first impression that he was a determined and resolute guy.  

“He was a prominent, respected and industrious member of the stone yard crew, and the only one to fully master the idiosyncrasies of the planer, an antiquated, deafening beast of a machine used for milling long sections of stone moldings. This job required a lot of strength and the planer was a potentially very dangerous machine to operate. Not everyone’s choice of work but Nelson was clearly equal to the task and rose to the challenge taking a great deal of pride in his accomplishments. His work can easily be seen today in the jambs, mullions, piers and cluster columns of the South Tower.

“Nelson was never reluctant, in fact relished taking on demanding and physically challenging assignments. This included scaffolding projects requiring a lot of strength and the ability to work at height, again not everyone’s choice but he never complained or showed any signs of apprehension.

“His contribution to the stone yard and tower was tremendous. I am very grateful to have known him and greatly saddened by his untimely passing.”  – Stephen Boyle

“I didn’t have the pleasure of working with Nelson, but as a fellow Stone Mason, I am deeply saddened for his passing. I send condolences, from me and my children. In my heart, I feel that he is in that Great Stone Yard in heaven, with our Brothers and Sisters, Masons, designing our castle.” – Carol Hazel

“It saddens my heart today to know that a great family man, a good friend and a great Craftsman passed away. Back in October ‘91 was the first time I met Nelson. He was a big chap. Very quiet and controlled. He very kindly took me aside and explained the way the Cathedral worked and New York City as I was only 23 and from the countryside in England. Hill Street Blues TV show was all I knew. But, Nelson was grateful that I had come to the Cathedral and told me “I got your back.” He probably had something to do with why I stayed here in the US. Thank you Nelson and God bless his family.” – Chris Pascoe

Chris recalls a time when his car was parked outside the Cathedral, all set for a ski trip. When Chris came back to the car a while later, he saw that his car was broken into and all his equipment stolen. He said something to Nelson who disappeared for a while and came back an hour later with almost all of Chris’s gear. Nelson clearly found the unfortunate guys who had broken into Chris’s car.

“Nelson was a kid from the neighborhood, growing up on W. 94 St and Amsterdam Ave – about a mile from the Cathedral that would be his home for over a dozen years – from 1980 to 1994.
I remember him as diligent and precise in his work. As others have said – no one touched Nelson’s planer – a cantankerous, sometimes obstinate machine that only he could tame. There were times when I would see Nelson and Cathedral mechanic Barney Norman climbing all over the arms, tightening and adjusting belts and flywheels. And when he had that planer fine-tuned, he could trim and shape a long block of limestone in a flash.” – Robert F. Rodriguez

“In the stoneyard, newcomers were usually assigned to the saws, a common starting point before moving on to training as a stone cutter, banker mason. Nelson became the first planer operator—that beast of a machine, found abandoned near the quarry and then renovated. An English operator came to train Nelson and planned to stay for two to three weeks. By the end of the first week, Nelson had it all figured out, and his trainer left. Nelson was the mechanical genius of the stoneyard and owned the giant planer. He broke the tradition of moving from the machines to the stone cutter’s area. Jose Tapia encouraged Nelson to try his hand at stonecutting and tutored him in the process. Nelson told me it just didn’t do for him what working the giant planer did. He would operate that machine with pride for many years.” – Roger Murphy

Nelson was always so helpful at the stoneyard. Nelson knew that Angel had a talent for drawing and wanted something special for his daughter’s bedroom so he asked Angel if he could paint The Little Mermaid on his daughter Gloria’s bedroom wall. Nelson was so excited to have it done for her. – Angel Escobar

“Nelson was the planer operator. I can’t remember anyone else taking on the beast…with the exception of Alan. The machine was old and unruly, and could be downright violent. Once it backed up and punched through the corrugated metal wall giving the hotdog man on the street side quite a scare. The planer was located in the northwest corner of the machine shop. Nelson’s domain.

“Nelson was very industrious, and an aggressive entrepreneur. While most of us were struggling to pay rent, Nelson owned at least one tenement building before the age of thirty. He always had multiple projects in the works. He once asked me if there were any good junk shops up in New England. I told him there were many, and asked if there was something in particular that he was looking for. Without missing a beat he reeled out that he needed a dozen metal work tables and a 100 sewing machines. I guess I looked stunned. He explained that his wife was moving into fashion design and that he needed as many sewing machines as he could lay his hands on.

“Another time he asked where he could buy a fleet of used trucks. Not one or two…a fleet. I think he wanted to start a moving company. He didn’t do anything in half measures. And yet another time he caught me and Jeep on the street asking if we could help him unload a truck load of old window frames and toilets. He was always working on old buildings.

“He was also into physical fitness. I remember him hanging by one leg from the metal staircase outside the machine shop doing air sit-ups. I’d never seen that before. He would also have us do competitions to see who could carry the most bricks pinned between our forearms – no easy feat. He also gave out instructions on what to do in a street fight. I’ll leave out the details, but I remember it verbatim.” – Joseph Kincannon

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