Paul Nelson was born in Dunkirk, New York in 1933. His parents were good friends with Alex Moeller, the general manager of Waldameer Park in Erie, Pennsylvania. When Paul was 11 years old, a weekend visiting “Uncle Alex” turned into an entire summer. Paul fell in love with Waldameer and began work as a dishwasher. That summer, Alex Moeller made a pact with Paul: if he continued working at Waldameer and took care of Mrs. Moeller after Alex died, the park would be his. They agreed on a handshake.

Paul was a 1951 graduate of Dunkirk High School, a 1955 graduate of Michigan State, and went on to serve his country in the United States Army. At age 23, Paul took over the management of Waldameer in 1965. He became the full owner in 1978. Paul was not afraid to take risks, including the addition of Water World in 1985 when waterparks were still a fresh concept.

Perhaps Paul’s crowning achievement was the Ravine Flyer II roller coaster. His dream to see the Ravine Flyer soar again was realized in 2008 after years of planning and legal battles. The same year, the coaster won Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket Award for Best New Ride and Paul won Person of the Year.

Paul served as President of PAPA, on the Board of IAAPA, and the local Tourism Board. He was well respected in the amusement industry and was very willing to share his business experiences with other amusement parks.  Paul more than doubled the size of Waldameer, providing a very successful local amusement venue for future generations to enjoy.

In his personal life, he was an active philanthropist in the Episcopal Church. He cared deeply about improving and enriching his community. Paul saw Waldameer as belonging to the Erie community and himself as its caretaker. Providing affordable fun for people of all walks of life was central to his mission. Paul worked at Waldameer from age 11 to his passing at 89 in 2023. In those 78 years, he never lost his enthusiasm for the park. Paul Nelson’s legacy will forever live on in the smiles of families making memories at Waldameer.