Nancy Olive Pendleton Nielsen

Nancy Olive Pendleton Nielsen (89) passed away February 27, 2024. She was born June 29, 1934, in Taylorsville, Utah to Murlin Rhead Pendleton and Edith Williams Pendleton. She is the third of six children. She grew up in Taylorsville, Utah with her older siblings, June, & John, and her younger siblings, Sharon, Monte, and Mark.

Nancy was a self-proclaimed “tom boy,” and could run, climb, or swing as fast or high as any boy in Taylorsville. She loved the outdoors and had a wonderful childhood growing up with her friends and relatives.

She Married her sweetheart, H. Ward Nielsen, June 25, 1952, in the Salt Lake Temple. She was his match

in every way. Together, they worked hard on the dairy, selling raw milk in Taylorsville Utah. They moved their dairy and children to Weston, Idaho and made it their home. At this point they had nine children and would add four more over the next twelve years, making an even “baker’s dozen.” They loved Weston - the people, the animals, the lifestyle, and their children. She was a great nurse to all her children, and treated many illnesses, which service brought much needed comfort to them.

Nancy had a great love of reading and gaining knowledge. She was well read, and fun to have conversations with, because she had an opinion on most things and was usually right. She was a very good cook and had a lot of practice feeding thirteen children. She was well known for her mouthwatering caramels that she made every Christmas Season. We were pretty sure that she could blow the largest bubblegum bubble of any human being and had fun showing the grandchildren how big she could blow them. She loved Morgan horses and was very proud of her Morgan mare, Rosita. She was an excellent gardener and kept an immaculate house, which is an amazing feat with such a large family. 

Nancy had a firm knowledge and testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and served in any way she was asked. She served in the stake Relief Society presidency, as ward Young Women president, ward chorister, and many other callings. She served with Ward in the Logan Temple as an ordinance worker, and loved temple work and all the wonderful friends they made while serving there.

Nancy is loved eternally by thirteen very grateful children. We are grateful to have such a loving, kind, talented, spiritual, and fun mother. Because of her and Dad, we know Christ better. She will be missed greatly till the time of reunion.

She is survived by three siblings, June, Sharon, & Mark, and thirteen children: Kristine (Paul) Lingard, Rebecca (Lorin) Jones, Lynette (Robert) Neary, Eric (Rexanne) Nielsen, Natalie (Phillip) Abrams, Clark (Dixie) Nielsen, Aleta (Michael) Phillips, Ray (Tori) Nielsen, Teresa (Daniel) Lindhardt, Pamela (Richard) Roskelley, Wynn (Bonnie) Nielsen, Vance (Gina) Nielsen, Tawnia (Lyle) Zilles. Ward and Nancy have 66 grandchildren and 133 great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren. They also have 41 bonus grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her brothers, John & Monte, and two granddaughters, Sarah Nielsen and Amber Crouch. 

Funeral services will be held on Monday, March 11, 2024 at 12:00 pm noon at the Preston Idaho South Stake Center, 55 E. 1st S., Preston, Idaho. Viewings will be held Sunday, March 10^th from 6-8 p.m. at Webb Funeral Home, 1005 S. 800 E., Preston, Idaho and Monday, March 11^th from 10-11:30 a.m. at the stake center.  Interment will be in the Dayton Idaho Cemetery. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at webbmortuary.com