Richard "Rich" D. Nielsen 1942 - 2017

NIELSEN, NEGLESS, JAACKS

Posted By: Connie Swearingen -Volunteer (email)
Date: 10/21/2017 at 19:58:12

Sioux City Journal
17 September 2017

Kingsley, Iowa

Richard "Rich" D. Nielsen, 74, of Kingsley, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, at his residence in Kingsley.

Services will be 11 a.m. Monday at Rohde Funeral Home in Kingsley, with the Rev. Duane Miesner officiating. Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. today, with the family present during this time, at Rohde Funeral Home. Online expressions may be sent to www.rohdefh.com.

Rich was born Nov. 14, 1942, in Rock Valley, Iowa, to Lowell and Naomi (Negless) Nielsen He graduated from Woodbury Central High School in 1960. He was drafted in October 1966 into the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam from March of 1967 until March of 1968. When he returned to the states, he finished his tour of duty at Fort Sill in Oklahoma.

He married Norma Jean Jaacks on June 1, 1966, in Moville, Iowa. He was on guard duty in Vietnam on their first anniversary. Rich worked for Mike Hagan at Hagans Body Shop for many years, then at Vern Anderson implement until retiring.

Family and friends were always very important to Rich. After his retirement, he started going downtown in the morning and joined a great group of guys for coffee. Not only did he enjoy the guys he sat with but all the other guys that were there. He had a special neighbor friend, Todd Beelner that was like a son to him. They would get together, talk cars and whatever the news of the day was. He loved to travel and in 1975, he and Jeanne went to Europe touring five countries. Rich enjoyed going to Colorado every year for the last 35 years. The mountains just kept calling to him.

In retirement, he was able to devote more time to his passion for cars. He loved mowing his yard and keeping it nice. He also mowed the Chad Groepper Memorial for the Groepper family. Chad rode Rich’s school bus when Chad was in school.

Rich is survived by his wife of 51 years, Norma Jean “Jeanne” Nielsen; brothers-in-law, Dale and wife, Gayle (Eberhard) Jaacks of Kingsley, and Clair Jaacks of Overton, Texas; nieces and nephews, Jeff (Kelli) Jaacks of Moville, Iowa, Jacqueline Jaacks of Spearfish, S.D., Jason (Elena) Jaacks of Las Vegas, Nev., Karrie (Marty) King of Sergeant Bluff, and Kelli (Larry) Beach of Sergeant Bluff; many cousins and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lowell and Naomi Nielsen; his brother, Raymond; and his in-laws, George and Verna Jaacks.