Frances M. Nielsen

Frances M. Nielsen

Central City

Frances M. Nielsen, 90, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, formerly of Central City, Iowa, passed away on Friday, Dec. 9, 2022, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids. A visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Marion, Iowa. A Funeral Liturgy outside of Mass will take place at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, at the funeral home, with the Rev. Sean Smith officiating. Burial will follow at Jordans Grove Cemetery in rural Central City.

Frances was born on May 25, 1932, at her home in Cedar Rapids, one of ten children born to Peter and Antonia (Klimavitz) Stechcon. She was a 1950 graduate of Wilson High School. Frances worked for a telephone company in Cedar Rapids and in California. On Nov. 24, 1956, Frances was united in marriage to Ray Nielsen. She was a farm wife all her life and she also cleaned several houses for more than 20 years, including the Rectory for several different priests. Frances was a member of St. Stephen’s Catholic Church. She spent countless hours volunteering at hospitals crocheting and knitting baby blankets, stocking caps and booties for the newborn babies. She was an avid quilter and belonged to several quilt clubs. Frances enjoyed fishing at the cabin on the Wapsi. She loved her flowers, gardening and canning. Frances was an excellent cook and baker; she made all her food from scratch. She made the best jams, candies, cookies and pies. Frances will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Frances is survived and lovingly remembered by her two sons, Steven Nielsen of Lisbon, Iowa, and Dennis Nielsen of Springville, Iowa; 10 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband of 65 years, Ray Nielsen; one son, Michael Nielsen; one granddaughter, Rebecca Nielsen; four sisters; and five brothers.

Memorials in Frances’s memory may be directed to the family or Camp Courageous.

Please share a memory of Frances at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.