Obituary of Alyce Johanna Nielson

A memorial visitation will be held Friday, June 12th at 2:30pm followed by a memorial service at 3:30pm at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Burial will be held at a later date. Alyce Johanna Nielson, the daughter of Olga (Nelson) and Swan Swanson, was born August 21, 1931 in Cherokee, Iowa. She graduated from Aurelia High School and later married Harold R. "Dutch" Nielson. She made her home in Storm Lake, Iowa for 43 years before moving to Spirit Lake eight years ago. Alyce worked at the Ireland Drug Store, Tradehome Shoes, DOT License Department and as a housekeeper at the Buena Vista Memorial Hospital. She enjoyed quilting, baking bread, reading, traveling, playing solitaire and cribbage, and was a Popeye collector. Her Swedish heritage was very important to her. She loved living on the lake as well as her mini-schnauzer, Spunkie. Her greatest love was for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her family was her priority. Alyce passed away June 7, 2015 at Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake, Iowa after a courageous fight to post polio syndrome. She is survived by her children, Perry of South Sioux City, Nebraska; Mary of Spencer, Iowa, Mark of Albert City, Iowa and Mike of Faribault, Minnesota; grandchildren, Jason, Heather, Amy, Alyssa, Jacob, Sven, Suneva and Thor; and seven great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Terry Swanson as well as a host of family and friends. Alyce was preceded in death by her parents, Swan and Olga Swanson; in-laws, Leon and Alta Nielson; husband, Harold "Dutch" R. Nielson; sister, Kay Dickson-Farnam and brothers, Donald Swanson and Harry Clayton Swanson. In closing, as Popeye would say, "I am what I am" and she was what she was. In memory of this fine lady, toast her with a Black Velvet 7 and celebrate a life well lived.