Sherry Nielsen

Sherry Smith Nielsen
June 5, 1939 – January 3, 2016

Our kind, giving, loving, compassionate, beautiful wife, mother and grandmother peacefully passed away Sunday surrounded by her family. She will be so very, very missed. The love, light and joy she spread to all those around her will forever live on in our memories. The years she lived with Alzheimer’s were challenging but she lived with this disease, as she did her life, with dignity, strength and courage. She was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Dr. Ashley George Smith and Ortha Dyer Smith.  She graduated from Olympus High School and attended the U of U where she was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority.  She married the love of her life, George (Juddy) Q. Nielsen, on November 9, 1963, who showed her unconditional love and amazing care. Together, they raised four children: Kimberly Morgan Bezanson, Jennifer Morgan, Suzanne Nielsen Patterson and Matthew George Nielsen. She was an amazing grandmother to 11 beautiful grandchildren: Heather, Brooke, Brandon, Matthew, Megan, Nicholas, Rachel, Gabriella, Alexandra, Hailey and Jacob. She was known as “the Grandma who always plays with us,” spending countless hours playing games, puzzles, catch, cooking and their favorite activity, matching socks. As a family we spent most weekends at our family farm in Oakley, Utah, enjoying the horses and the great outdoors.  Above all, she loved her family very much!

She loved tennis, golf, skiing, bridge, cooking, sewing, bowling and gardening. She was a perfectionist and excelled at everything she did.  She was very active in the LDS church holding many positions throughout the years, as she was very passionate about serving others.

With heartfelt love and appreciation the family would like to thank Cynthia Saporito Aversa who gave our wife/mother/grandmother loving, gentle care for the last 4 years. Cynthia is a part of our family and we are eternally grateful for her. Thank you to the IMC Hospice Care who provided our family and our mother with love and support. Nubia Fajardo and Tania Worley with IMC, along with Cynthia Saporito Aversa, were pillars of strength for our father and compassionate caretakers for our mother.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 9, 2016 at the LDS Church on 1565 S. Foothill Drive. The viewing will be held from 10:30-11:30 a.m., followed by the funeral services from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Interment will be at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park(1736 E. 3300 S.)

In lieu of flowers, our family suggests donations to be sent to The Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases at The Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Bwhgiving.org).