Nora Ella Nielsen
March 5th, 1930 - July 6th, 2023
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Nora's Obituary
Nora Ella Nielsen [née Dombrow], age 93, passed away peacefully the morning of July 6, 2023.
She is survived by her loving daughter Noreen Nielsen, grandsons Jason (Michelle) Grinnell, Brayton (Elizabeth) Grinnell and Nathan (Jennifer) Grinnell, and her six great-grandchildren Grayson, Emerson, Hadley, Brady, Adalynne and Mason.
Nora was preceded in death by her beloved husband Henry (Bud), daughter Diana and parents Clarence and Ida Dombrow.
Born March 5, 1930, in Jericho, Michigan, Nora had a long, full life. She spent her early years in Baroda and graduated from Baroda High School in 1948. She continued her education at St. Mary's College in South Bend, Indiana and remained a lifelong fan of Notre Dame. Nora worked at Whirlpool Corporation and later taught special needs students in Berrien Springs, Michigan.
Nora married the love of her life, Henry "Bud" Nielsen on February 6, 1954 after his return from the Korean War, where he was held as a Prisoner of War from 1951 until his release in 1953. Together, they built a home in St. Joseph where they raised their daughters, Diana and Noreen and built a lifetime of memories together.
With her grandsons active in athletics at St. Joseph high school, Nora was a regular on the sidelines cheering them on in soccer, basketball and baseball among other sports. She also enjoyed camping trips with Bud and her grandsons and later in life, Nora and Bud enjoyed escaping the cold winter months and RV'ing to warmer destinations down south.
Nora was an avid card player, enjoying game night every Friday with longtime friends and hosting Bridge Club with her Sorority for years. She was always up for a game of cribbage or marbles when her family came to visit. She loved to cook and was known for giving cookbooks from her collection as gifts during the holidays. She was also a gardener, with a particular fondness for peonies and gladiolus, a word search enthusiast and an avid letter writer to her family and friends.
Nora’s family will remember her competitive spirit at the card table, her laugh, home cooked meals around the table, her occasional stubborn streak and most of all her her unwavering love. Over the years Nora was a rock of support for her husband, her daughters and her grandsons – her family was her greatest passion. Nora will be missed dearly, but her presence will always remain strong in our hearts.
A celebration of Nora’s life will be held on Saturday, July 15 at 11:00 a.m. at Starks & Menchinger Chapel at 2650 Niles Road in St. Joseph, Michigan. Visitation with the family will take place one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Lest We Forget.
She is survived by her loving daughter Noreen Nielsen, grandsons Jason (Michelle) Grinnell, Brayton (Elizabeth) Grinnell and Nathan (Jennifer) Grinnell, and her six great-grandchildren Grayson, Emerson, Hadley, Brady, Adalynne and Mason.
Nora was preceded in death by her beloved husband Henry (Bud), daughter Diana and parents Clarence and Ida Dombrow.
Born March 5, 1930, in Jericho, Michigan, Nora had a long, full life. She spent her early years in Baroda and graduated from Baroda High School in 1948. She continued her education at St. Mary's College in South Bend, Indiana and remained a lifelong fan of Notre Dame. Nora worked at Whirlpool Corporation and later taught special needs students in Berrien Springs, Michigan.
Nora married the love of her life, Henry "Bud" Nielsen on February 6, 1954 after his return from the Korean War, where he was held as a Prisoner of War from 1951 until his release in 1953. Together, they built a home in St. Joseph where they raised their daughters, Diana and Noreen and built a lifetime of memories together.
With her grandsons active in athletics at St. Joseph high school, Nora was a regular on the sidelines cheering them on in soccer, basketball and baseball among other sports. She also enjoyed camping trips with Bud and her grandsons and later in life, Nora and Bud enjoyed escaping the cold winter months and RV'ing to warmer destinations down south.
Nora was an avid card player, enjoying game night every Friday with longtime friends and hosting Bridge Club with her Sorority for years. She was always up for a game of cribbage or marbles when her family came to visit. She loved to cook and was known for giving cookbooks from her collection as gifts during the holidays. She was also a gardener, with a particular fondness for peonies and gladiolus, a word search enthusiast and an avid letter writer to her family and friends.
Nora’s family will remember her competitive spirit at the card table, her laugh, home cooked meals around the table, her occasional stubborn streak and most of all her her unwavering love. Over the years Nora was a rock of support for her husband, her daughters and her grandsons – her family was her greatest passion. Nora will be missed dearly, but her presence will always remain strong in our hearts.
A celebration of Nora’s life will be held on Saturday, July 15 at 11:00 a.m. at Starks & Menchinger Chapel at 2650 Niles Road in St. Joseph, Michigan. Visitation with the family will take place one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Lest We Forget.
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