Susan Kay Avery Nielson

Susan Kay Nielson treasured wife, mother, friend and nana passed away October 29^th 2020, a beautiful autumn morning, her favorite season.

Sue was born Feb 3^rd 1954 in Soda Springs, Idaho where her birthright seemed to be a love of hot bodies of water, a zest for competition and a spectacular mane of hair. She particularly cherished her childhood memories of her grandmother and grandfather Avery’s home and farm in Lava Hot Springs, ID. After moving to Bountiful, Utah, she met the love of her life, Alan Richard Nielson at a church basketball game in the 8^th grade. Against all odds, they created a life and love worth reverence. They had two daughters and raised them surrounded by their love. A month shy of their 48^th wedding anniversary, Alan held the love of his life as she threw her final punches at breast cancer. They had been fighting for the past 7 years.

Sue leaves behind a legacy of generosity and acceptance to those who knew her best. She had a way of making everyone she met feel special and when her light shined on you, you glowed. Always an advocate for the underdog or overlooked, she spent countless hours volunteering and holding people’s hands and hearts through their personal trials.

She truly believed in and pursued the magic in life – in both humans and nature – and had a special way of sharing this magic that moved the lives around her. From the spiritual to the earthly – you were as likely to catch her in meditation as covered in dirt in her garden. She raised her vegetables with the same moxie she raised her two feisty daughters.

Susan will be met at the proverbial pearly gates by a few in her chosen and birth families as well as a few of her beloved dogs. Her eternal soulmate Alan Nielson, daughters Lynsey Sue Nielson (Aaron Benzon) and KaCee Ann (Jason) Payne, her beloved grandkids Hunter, Colton and Adalyn Payne, and her cherished doggies Grace and Sophie will celebrate her for the rest of our days. We know she would have moved mountains for any one of us.

Thank you to those friends who have showed up, helped out, taken her for a drive, made her mobile, made the calls, did the shopping, and generally helped out in all the ways you could. The last few months have been especially hard.

An in-person service will not be held due to COVID-19 so in lieu of sending flowers, please consider donating in Sue’s honor to Operation Underground Railroad – a cause she felt deeply connected to. My.ourrescue.org/fundraisers/susan-nielson-1

Otherwise, simply hold tight to someone you love today. Reach out and put in the time. Life is so precious. If you’ve made to the end here, she would have wanted you to know that she loves you, honors your path, and hopes to meet you again in the next life.