Richard Edward Nielsen

Richard Dick Edward Nielsen of Centerville, passed away peacefully on Sunday, September 4, 2011 with his loving wife at his side. Born at home on June 15, 1923 in Thatcher, Idaho, the second of five children to Lorenzo Ren and Bessie Beatrice Probst Nielsen. After growing up in SE Idaho and graduating from Cleveland High School, he served our country during WWII, where he fought with the Army infantry and was wounded in France. After the war he met Arleta Scothern in Brigham City, Utah and they were married August 30, 1947. He graduated from Utah State University with a Masters Degree and taught school in SE Idaho for a year. In 1951 he moved his family to Bountiful, Utah where he had accepted a teaching job at the brand new Bountiful High School. For the next 30 years he devoted his time to the students there, teaching drivers education, auto mechanics, mechanical drawing, and counseling work release students. For extra income, he built homes during the summers and they lived in several of those homes. In 1966 they moved to Centerville, where he lived throughout the rest of his life. He is survived by his wife; four sons: Steve (Glenda), Allen (Karen), Kent (Pam) and Ron; 6 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; 2 brothers and a sister. Preceded in death by an infant son, an infant daughter (Carol Jean), parents, one brother, and one grandson. Funeral services will be held Thursday, September 8, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. at Russon Brothers Bountiful Mortuary, 295 North Main, where friends and family can visit from 9:45-10:45 a.m. prior to services.