Nielsen, Bessie (1910-1998)

NIELSEN, BOLGER, BEST, FUNKHAUSER, FIELDS, SIEMSEN, FARLEY, BOOTON, HOUGH

Posted By: Bill Smith (email)
Date: 12/23/2002 at 22:26:56

Bessie Nielsen Obituary

[Coon Rapids Enterprise, 26 Feb 1998]

Funeral services were held Thursday, February 5 for Bessie Nielsen, 87, of Glidden, who died Monday, February 2, 1998 at Thomas Rest Haven nursing home in Coon Rapids.
Rev. John Wilkinson officiated the 10:30 a.m. services from United Methodist Church in Glidden. Burial was in Merle Hay Memorial Cemetery in Glidden. Casket bearers were Bob Bolger, Susan Funkhauser, Randy Bolger, Jeff Bolger, Stan Best, Brian Best and Shann Nielsen Fields.
Bessie Irene Nielsen
Born May 10, 1910 on a farm north of Audubon, Bessie was the daughter of John Edward and Ethel Farnham Siemsen. She graduated from Audubon High School in 1928 and played on the schools state championship basketball team her senior year. Then she taught country school for three years.
Bessie married Lawrence Nielsen in 1931 in Carroll and they lived in Rothsay, Minnesota. In 1937 they moved to Glidden. She and her husband ran Swede's Café for 16 years, the Glidden Laundromat of nine years and the Coon Rapids bowling alley for seven years.
Mrs. Nielsen was a member of United Methodist Women, the Glidden Women's Club, the American Legion Auxiliary and the Sew and So Club. She enjoyed writing in her journals, crocheting, growing flowers and bowling.
Mrs. Nielsen is survived by a son, Richard "Duke" Nielsen, and his wife, Jeanie, of Littleton, CO; a daughter, Darlene Fuehring, of New Roads, LA; a niece, Althea Best, and her husband, Charles of rural Glidden; five grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; four sisters: Nellie Farley and her husband, LaVerne, of Jamesport, MO; Grace Betts and her husband, Melvin, of Coon Rapids; Doris Booton and her husband, Robert, of Torrington, WY; and Dorothy Betts and her husband, Bryan, of Audubon; two brothers: Charles Siemsen and his wife, Dorlee of Audubon and John Siemsen of Audubon; a sister-in-law, Dorothy Hough and her husband Armand, of Worthington, MN; and a brother-in-law, Norbie Nielsen and his wife, Agnes, of Bemidju, MN.
She was preceded in death by her husband, in 1977; two sons, Gene and Harry; her parents; one older sister and brothers and sisters in infancy.
[Transcribed by Bill Smith, smithwil@emporia.edu]