Gerald Nielsen

Gerald Ray Nielsen was born March 27, 1949, in Ogden, Utah, to Beryl and Ray Nielsen. He was a precocious young man in youth and adolescence, with many harrowing stories of his youth. He grew to be quite the storyteller. He would entertain friends and family with stories for hours.

After high school, he joined the air force and was stationed in Great Falls, Montana, where he was a minuteman missile electrician.  After his time in the service, he attended technical school, and became a master electrician.

While serving in Great Falls, he met his wife Debbie, who was in nurses training.  They were together every day after their first date in February of 1972.  On payday, Jerry took Deb out for steak and lobster, and every night we would meet at about 8:30 for coffee, and would talk for hours.  We skied, went camping and fishing, and had a beautiful time of courtship.

We were married September 2, 1972, in Laurel, Montana, at Laurel United Methodist Church.  After he was discharged from the service, we moved to Utah, where he took a job at the Kaysville Electric Department, and worked for 38 years, and Debbie began her nursing career.  After a 7-year honeymoon, God answered our prayers for a family by adopting Joshua and then Anna, and He filled our lives loving and providing for our precious children.

Jerry's great love of the outdoors and all things fishing, camping, adventuring, and spending treasured time with friends and family, was the highlight of his life. He loved being with his friends, and these friendships deepened over the years.  He took special pride in taking our grandsons Gaven, Ethan, and Noah fishing, and teaching them to shoot. His only regret was that he did not have more time to spend with them.

Jerry had many hobbies.  For years he was a beekeeper.  He loved to work with leather and he made his signature gourd canteens in the Mountainman Days he so enjoyed.  He made knives, powder horns, possible bags, and so much more, always anxious to share and teach what he knew.

What a faithful, loving husband Jerry has always been, always assuring to provide for our family, even in difficult times, providing for our future in every aspect.

He is survived by his loving wife Debbie; daughter Anna; grandsons Gaven, Ethan, Noah, Cade, and Isaac; Lorie and Jesse; his sister Kelle and her husband Bruce; sister RaeDene.

He is preceded in death by his brother Lynn; his parents; his sister Jan; his son Josh; grandson Caleb; and granddaughter Sariah.

We want to thank Lakeview Hospital for their stellar care and compassion, especially Kennedy, Nurse Practitioner, and Chance, Registered Nurse.

Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, April 4th, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. at Washington Heights Church, 1770 East 6200 South, Ogden, Utah, 84405. Friends may visit with family on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 No Fairfield Road, Layton, Utah, and Thursday at 1:00 p.m. at the church.

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