Niels Laurits Nielsen
May 23, 1929 – March 24, 2014
If you never had the chance to get to know Niels you really missed out on a great man who encouraged, uplifted, and led his family in faith. Niels very unexpectedly passed away from complications related to pulmonary fibrosis in Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.
Niels came to Canada in 1952, joining his brother Gustuv Nielsen who had arrived two years earlier, and leaving his younger sister Elna, half-brother Hans Peter, older sister Karla and Mom in Denmark.
In 1956, Niels met the love of his life, Tove Maureen Moller; they were wed on July 5, 1958. Together, Niels and Tove raised 4 girls: Debbie Lynne (Tim) Dixon; Wendy Kirsten Nielsen; Janet Eileen (Glenn) Irvine; and Joan Elaine (Fernando) Costa.
Niels was an avid outdoors man who loved to hike, hunt, camp, fish, and swim. Niels also loved painting, gardening, spelunking, beekeeping, playing bridge, flying, dancing and walking with his friends in a walking group. A devoted husband and loving father, he included his family in all of his adventures and travels across North America.
The diversity in his life was reflected in his work as well. He long-shored, laboured in lumber mills, and worked on the Vancouver Island Railway. Through his work in construction, he helped build substantial contributions to Nanaimo’s infrastructure, such as the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, “The Highrise”, and the Nanaimo Waterworks.
Niels will be greatly missed by his wife, daughters, nieces and nephews; his grandchildren: Melissa (Caleb) Mason, Jonathon Irvine, Bryan Bourne, and David Bourne; and his great-grandchildren: Rebekah, Joshua, and Levi Mason.
We will love you forever and forget you never.