The Rt. Rev. Nelson Marigold Burroughs, 99, retired Bishop of Ohio, died Dec. 21 at a hotel in Boston, Mass. At the time of his death, he lived in Exeter, N.H., and had been in Boston to attend the annual carol service at Trinity Church.

"He was at heart a pastor to all people, especially his clergy," the Rt. Rev. J. Clark Grew, Bishop of Ohio, told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "They were devoted to him. He did so many small acts of generosity that nobody knows about. He had a great love for the congregations in his diocese. He loved being with the people in those churches." Bishop Burroughs oversaw the founding of 19 new congregations and the construction of 36 church buildings during his 16-year tenure.

A native of Bridgeport, Conn., Bishop Burroughs graduated from Wesleyan University and Berkeley Divinity School. He was ordained deacon and priest in 1925 and consecrated Bishop Coadjutor of Ohio in 1949. He was installed as diocesan in 1952. Before being elected bishop, he served as assistant at St. Paul's, Syracuse, N.Y., 1925-27, rector of St. Mark's, Syracuse, 1927-30, rector of St. John's, Troy, N.Y., 1930-39, and rector of Christ Church, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1939-49.

After his retirement, Bishop Burroughs helped to raise $400,000 to build an addition to St. Christopher's, Chatham, Mass., and volunteered his counseling services to the church.

Bishop Burroughs is remembered in the Diocese of Ohio as being the founder of the Boar's Head and Yule Log, a traditional medieval English Yuletide event. He started the tradition while at Christ Church, Cincinnati, and brought it with him to Cleveland when he became bishop.

Bishop Burroughs is survived by his wife, the former Ann Bywater Cluett, three children and five grandchildren.