Jill Marie Nielson

Jill Marie Nielson

My Soul Is Soaring

KAYSVILLE a€" There I was... Mom and Merilee were pulling me one way, family and friends were pulling me another. I didn''t know what to do or which way to go, I was ready to move on but I knew I was loved here.

My physical body was 55 years old and it only limited me, I was not very tall (short!!) and kind of round but I knew these people, they loved me and only wanted the best for me... I just knew I wanted to go home, my body said stay but my soul... my soul cried to be free. I wanted and needed to go home... and here I am... hey look at me now a€" I am tall and willowy.

Our beloved daughter, sister, aunt, Angel and friend, Jill Marie Nielson has finally accepted her wings and flown to heaven on Wednesday, July 1, 2009, leaving behind the imperfect body she had lived in for 55 years.

Jill Pill was born February 11, 1954 in Ogden, Utah to Merritt and Wanda Nielson. This was a difficult time for people to understand those who were born different. She did not care about this nor did she understand what the term Down Syndrome meant. Jill just knew she was meant to teach us how to love.

Jill attended school at Monte Vista Elementary in Farmington and then graduated to work at the Pioneer Adult Rehabilitation (PARC) center in Farmington and in Clearfield. She finally retired from PARC just a few short years ago. She thoroughly enjoyed working there and made sure everyone knew that she worked there! She also enjoyed Special Olympics and spending time with her family and friends.

She enjoyed her cats (dogs and boys were not allowed in her room!) She spoke her own language for many years until she finally relented and spoke English. She loved Disney Movies, Barbie Dolls (especially the Barbie Parades) and anything to do with Donny and Marie.

She loved Bear Lake and riding behind the boat on a tube. She made friends everywhere she went and had a smile for everyone. She especially loved her Special Needs Mutual; she looked forward to singing or talking in the Special Needs Sacrament Meetings and participating in their yearly plays. She was a great Sleeping Beauty? (Yeah JILL!!)

She taught us all about love and joy and being who you are. She had no guile. She loved all holidays-especially Christmas and Halloween and her Birthday. She loved walking around the neighborhood visiting her friends.

She had her own unique circle of friends-she could often be seen with Andrea, Cynthia or Robin. She had so many friends we had to keep lists of all the presents she got for Christmas.

Jill loved going to church, and although she had no need, she requested to be baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She had already earned the Crown without the Conflict. She lived at home all but the past two years-she finally had a place of her own at Rocky Mountain Care Center. She thrived in this new world and was loved and cared for by all.

She is survived by her father Merritt Nielson of Kaysville, UT; her sister Susan Willden (Edward) of Layton, UT; and her three brothers Bruce Nielson (Becky) of Layton, UT; Kelly Nielson (Terrie) of Syracuse, UT; and Jeff (Teresa) also of Syracuse, UT. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews and other family and a ton of very good friends.

She was preceded in death by her mother Wanda Lee Nielson and her sister Merrilee Warner.

Please join us for a celebration of her life on Tuesday, July 7, 2009 at 11 a.m. at the Kaysville East LDS Stake Center, 201 So. 600 E., Kaysville. Friends and family may call Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lindquist''s Kaysville Mortuary, 400 No. Main and Tuesday from 9:30 to 10:30 at the stake center.

Interment, Kaysville City Cemetery.