Mary Nielsen

Mary Richmond Brooks Nielsen passed away on March 30, 2015 after a battle with lymphoma. She was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on December 1, 1922 to Charles and Blanche Richmond. She was the youngest of seven children. Mary attended East High School in Salt Lake as did Melvin Richard Brooks. While attending the University of Utah, they began dating each other. Early in their courtship, Melvin was called on a 2 ½ year mission to the Spanish American Mission. He asked Mary to wait for him. While he served his mission Mary worked at Beneficial Life Insurance Company in Salt Lake City. She frequently had meals with Mel's parents. One particular night Mel had arranged with his father to have a diamond ring ready. He called and proposed to Mary, which she accepted and then Mel's father presented her with the ring. Shortly after Mel returned home from his mission, he and Mary were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on Oct 3, 1944 by Elder Mark E. Peterson, of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. Mary and Melvin raised five children together and enjoyed the family unity that came through regular family home evenings, family prayer, and family vacations and activities. Mary was a wonderful helpmeet to her husband in every respect and an angel mother. One of the greatest experiences Mary and Mel had together was serving as mission president and wife in the Spanish American Mission headquartered in San Antonio, Texas from 1961-1964. After the mission they remained in San Antonio, Texas where Melvin coordinated seminaries and institutes in that region. In 1966 they moved to Torrance, California where Mel was employed with the LDS Church Educational System. In 1969 they returned to the Provo/Orem area of Utah where Mary has since lived. Mary enjoyed serving in all the auxiliaries in stake and ward positions and was always found serving others. After Melvin died in 1973, she began working in the Provo Temple where she worked for 18 years. During that time she met O. Wendle Nielsen and they were married February 13, 1982. They had 18 wonderful years together before he passed away in 2000. Mary enjoyed working on family histories, doing temple work, volunteering in the English as a Second Language program at Deseret Industries and at the MTC where the missionaries could practice giving their discussions in Spanish. Our beloved mother and grandmother is survived by her children, Cathie McCoy (Walter), Richard Brooks (Marjean), Kent Brooks (Camille), Marcia Price, Jeff, as well as 23 grandchildren and 35 great grandchildren. She is also survived by the children O. Wendle Nielsen, Hope Hyde (Ozzie), Barry Nielsen, and Christine Tippetts (Paul) and all of their children and grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, siblings, husband, Melvin R. Brooks and second husband O. Wendle Nielsen, and a son, Craig Brooks. The funeral services will be held on Monday, April 6, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. the Orem Cascade 4th Ward where Mary was a member for 30 years. The chapel is located at 1051 East 200 N. in Orem. A viewing will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 prior to the funeral. Interment will be in the Provo City Cemetery.

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