Patricia Nielson

Patricia (Pat) Nielson, a loving and caring mother, grandmother, and friend passed away peacefully on April 28, 2014 of natural causes. Her final hours were spent in the comfort and care of her family.
Pat was born in Salt Lake City, Utah to William and Bessie Murphy. Pat spoke often of the fond memories she had of the small home above the store that provided her family’s livelihood. She was equally fond of the library across the street which provided her with stacks of books she would bring home on a weekly basis; she was an avid reader throughout her life.
Pat was a city girl at heart and after graduating from West High School at the age of 16 she was off to the big city (Salt Lake City). Her eyes would always light up as she talked about taking the bus downtown to work at Woolworth’s Department store or to shop on the bustling streets she loved so much.
Pat met the man of her dreams while working at the counter of a neighborhood grocery store near Sahara Village in Layton. She told the story that she was sure Edsel (Ted) was meant for her, but that he had left a sweetheart in Oak City. She freely admitted she was quite upset when Ted told her he had to go home to see this girl but she was equally relieved when he soon came back also knowing that Pat was the girl meant for him. They were soon married in the Salt Lake Temple.
Pat and Ted settled down in Woods Cross, Utah and raised four children: David, Leslie, Alan, and Shane. From those four beloved children her legacy has grown to 33 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren. After the children were raised, she and Ted moved to Bountiful to the home they shared until Ted’s death in 1998 and where she independently lived until less than a year ago.
Pat was always very industrious and creative; she worked at Farmers Bank and Sperry Univac. She found her passion and spent the remainder of her career at Safeway’s bakery.
Pat freely gave of her talents. She decorated birthday cakes and catered weddings for family and friends. A favorite pastime was quilting and she made over fifty beautiful quilts for her family. She loved to crochet and spent countless hours working on humanitarian projects. She diligently fulfilled her ward callings through which she grew to love genealogy. Service was her love language. Pat played the piano and loved to dance. This talent was evident in the many award-winning road shows she wrote and produced for the Woods Cross LDS 2nd ward. She and Ted never missed the opportunity for a dance date with many close friends. Pat loved to travel and annually the family would load up the car and meander south on old Highway 89 to Disneyland. She and Ted travelled extensively with the Swanee Singers choir and with their son, Shane, during his band competitions. Some of her fondest memories were vacations taken with her children and grandchildren.
When Pat’s ability to sustain her independence was exhausted, she lived for a short time with her son, David, and then became a resident at Heritage Place in Bountiful where she was in the care of her beloved sister, Kristine, and other family members. Her heart was full of gratitude for a fulfilling life and she was ready to begin her eternal journey.
Funeral service and viewings will be held at Russon Brothers Mortuary 295 N. Main Bountiful, UT. Viewing times will be Thursday, May 1, 6:00 to 8:00 pm and Friday, May 2, 11:45-12:30. Funeral services will begin at 1:00 pm.
Interment – Salt Lake City Cemetery.