Ruth Anna Nielsen Messick

On April 14, 2017, our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, Ruth Anna Nielsen Messick, of Holladay, Utah, passed away at age 93.  She is finally reunited with her sweetheart, Harold.  We will miss her love, her talents, her many acts of kindness, and her fun-loving nature.
Born on December 15, 1923, in Brigham City, Box Elder County, Utah, to Joseph Christian Nielsen and Martha Elizabeth Parsons, Ruth was the ninth of twelve children (Faye Violet, Blanche Estelle, Jay Robert, Jesse Leroy, Lila Elizabeth, Joseph Clark, Martha Vera, Marian Alice, James Franklin, Rex Arthur and Leonard Eugene).  She was so proud of her family and grateful for her religious heritage; grandparents converted to the LDS Church in Denmark and Sweden who came to America to worship freely.
Ruth grew up in Brigham City, graduating from Box Elder High School in 1941, and then working as a telephone operator at Bushnell Hospital. In September of 1944, she joined the US Navy, attending boot camp at Hunter College in New York. From there, she went to Yeoman's School at Oklahoma A & M in Stillwater, Oklahoma; and, then to the Naval Air Station in Alameda where she was the “Shipping-Over” Yeoman.  After her discharge, she returned to Bushnell Hospital where she was secretary to the hospital inspector. This is where Ruth met Harold, the love of her life.  He was serving in the Army as a Mess Sergeant.  They were married on July 9, 1946, in Brigham City, Utah. They lived in North Carolina for a short while and then moved back to Utah.  Ruth attended Henager School of Business and received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in June 1954, later using her degree to keep the books for over 50 years for their business, Messick and Company Painting and Decorating.
Ruth was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and had such a strong testimony.  On December 20, 1960, Ruth and Harold and their family were sealed together for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake Temple. Ruth's was a life of charity and service.  She loved her many church callings in Primary, Scouting and Relief Society. Ruth also served in various capacities in local and national programs throughout her life, which included: Local president of the Benign Essential Blepharospasm Research Foundation, often reaching out to people from out of town to stay in her home following eye surgeries.  She was PTA President of Howard R. Driggs Elementary School in 1963. Ruth was so proud to be a Veteran and was a member of the Waves of the Wasatch Front for many years, serving as Utah State Director and Vice President.
Ruth was blessed with a wonderful sense of humor, to the delight of all who knew her.  She was honest and hardworking.  She loved reading, bowling, boating, camping and was a wonderful cook.  How she loved the Utah Jazz!  She also enjoyed doing genealogy and temple work with her sweet husband. Family was everything to Ruth.  She once said, "If I have succeeded in any way, it is in having a wonderful husband and a loving family.  These are my crowning achievements."

Ruth's wonderful life will forever be cherished by her six children: Harold Bruce Messick Jr. (Margaret), Diane Elizabeth Halford (David), Ronald Clark Messick (Dawn), Mark Joseph Messick (Jean), Allen James Messick (Aimee), and Marilyn Joann Drumiler (Daniel).  She is survived by 21 grandchildren and 44 great-grandchildren who adore her.
She was preceded in death by all eleven of her brothers and sisters; her kind, loving husband, Harold; her son, Ronald Clark Messick; and, two great-grandsons, Spencer Aiden Callister and Logan Lloyd Messick.
The family would like to thank the staff at Sunrise of Holladay Assisted Living and Memory Care and Jolene, her nurse from Solstice Hospice Care, for the excellent care and kindness given to Ruth and her family, as well as neighbors of the Olympus 3rd Ward for their many acts of service and love to our parents.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, April 20, 2017, at 11:00 AM at the Olympus 3rd Ward Building at 4100 Camille Dr. (Lincoln Lane), Holladay, Utah.  Viewings will be held at the same location Wednesday evening from 6:00-8:00 PM and Thursday morning before the funeral from 9:30 – 10:45 AM. Funeral directors — Russon Brothers Mortuary, Bountiful, Utah. Interment will be at the Holladay Memorial Park Cemetery, 4900 S. Memory Lane, Holladay, Utah.