Obituary Record

Anna (Nielsen) Nielsen
Died on 10/3/1928

None

This long obituary is taken from the collection in the Notebook of Long Obituaries. The original newspaper article can be found in the Blair Library, Genealogy Room.

Since the exact death date was not given, the date of the newspaper article was used. Published in The Pilot, October 3, 1928

MRS. J. P. NIELSEN DIED SUN. MORNING

WAS SUFFERER FROM CANCER OF LIVER FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND PHYSICIANS ADVISED AGAINST AN OPERATION. SHE FACED DEATH SMILING.

FUNERAL WAS HELD TODAY

Mrs. J. P. Nielsen, wife of Rev. J. P. Nielsen, dean of Trinity Seminary and professor at Dana College, passed peacefully out of this life at about 1 o’clock last Sunday morning at her home just south of the girl’s dormitory. And with the passing, the light of a brilliant mind went out, so far as this world is concerned.

The funeral services were held at the Danish Lutheran church at 10 this forenoon, Rev. H. Nielsen, her pastor, in charge of the service, Rev. N. C. Carlson, Royal,Iowa, president of the Synod, speaking in Danish. Rev. V. W. Bondo, of Racine, Wis., spoke on behalf of the Foreign Missionary Board of the church, she having served for several years as a missionary and teacher in Japan.

The body will be taken to Mr. Nielsen’s old home, Boomer Township, Pottawottamie Co., Iowa, where another service will be held at St. Paul’s Lutheran church and burial will be in the cemetery near the church, where Mr. Nielsen’s parents are buried. Rev. Jas. N. Lund is pastor there. He is a former Dana student.

Anna Nielsen was born in Skanderup, Jutland, Denmark, March 20th, 1872, so was past 56 years of age. Her parents moved to Hammil when she was about five years of age and there she grew to womanhood and attended the public and high schools. When she was 17 years old she came to this country, making her home first with her brother in Minneapolis.

She was eager for more education and went to Elkhorn, Ia., and took a normal course and taught at West Denmark, Wis., for a time, returning to Elkhorn and secured her state certificate, teaching in the public schools of Elkhorn for some time. In 1896 she went to Denmark and studied violin for two years under a famous teacher.

She returned to this country and had charge of music at Dana College for a time. Here she met J. P. Nielsen, who was then a student in the seminary and when he had completed his theological course and was called to Philadelphia as pastor they were married there April 17, 1905. After two years there they went to Kenmare, N. D., where Mr. Nielsen was principal of the high school and he taught also.

In 1909 they were sent as missionaries to Kurum, Japan and served there for ten years. Mrs. Nielsen did Sunday school and kindergarten work, having a Sunday School every day in the week part of the time, after school hours.

Later they removed to Kumamoto, where Mr. Nielsen taught in a Danish Seminary. There she became interested in and helped to found a Colony of Mercy, which was an old people’s home and rescue home combined.

During a furlough home in 1923 Mrs. Nielsen underwent a very severe operation for a pyloric cancer, from which she recovered nicely and returned to her work in Japan, this time to Tokio, where he taught in the Seminary there and she worked among the farm women.

Mr. Nielsen’s health broke and he came back to this country in August of 1927 and she returned in October. He recovered sufficiently so that he could do some teaching at Dana last year and this spring was chosen dean of the seminary. She had planned to teach, also, but her health would not permit.

They attended the national convention of the church at Racine and she made a talk to the women on her work in Japan, being a very charming and gifted speaker. They took a vacation by driving their car through to Philadelphia, the city of their marriage and of his first pastorate.

From there they went to Boston but her condition then became serious and she went to a hospital where her condition was diagnosed as cancer of the liver and pancreas and an operation was not advised. With a girl friend she came home in an apartment on the train and had been confined to the house and mostly her bed since that time.

She suffered a good deal of pain and was unable to eat, so became quite thin and weak, but was brave in the face of death. Saturday afternoon she tried to leave a farewell message but she was too weak to make them hear. Death came peacefully at 1 that night.

Mrs. Nielsen had spoken before the Monday Afternoon club of the city of which she was a member and on several other occasions, her hearers appreciating her brilliance and ability. Her death will be a great loss to the entire community, for she seemed to be well fitted to live and help others to live better. The bereaved husband has the sincere sympathy of many friends in the loss of such a companion and help meet.

She leaves a full brother in Council Bluffs, Emil Nielsen, and two half brothers there, Carl and Jens Nielsen. Also a full brother in Minneapolis, Christoffer and several sisters in Denmark.

Printed in the Blair Pilot on 10/3/1928


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