Margaret Carol (McCoy) Nielsen

On Thursday, June 27, 2019 we said goodbye to our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and sister Margaret C. “Carol” Nielsen, 84, of Great Falls.  A Memorial Mass will be held on Tuesday July 9, at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Spirit Catholic Church,201 44th St S, with Burial to follow at Highland Cemetery.

Born August 3, 1934 in Creston, IA to James M. and Mabel V. (Finefield) McCoy, Carol grew up in Davenport, IA, graduating from Assumption High School. 

She met William (Bill) Nielsen while in Davenport and the two were married on April 27, 1957.  Because of his military career, the family traveled to Ruislip England, Niagra Falls, NY, Great Falls, MT and lastly, Grand Forks, ND, before deciding on Great Falls as their “Forever” home. Proud of her husbands service, Carol was a member of the Montana Military Retirees Council, and once named, Volunteer of the Year.

Throughout her working career, Carol was a Switchboard Operator for several businesses in Great Falls, including the Columbus Hospital and Weissman & Sons. She also worked at the Pin and Cue Bowling Alley where she pursued her enthusiasm for bowling. Carol also enjoyed swimming and always seemed the happiest with a book in her hands. Over the course of her whole life, she was very active in the church.  And in her later years, she remained active at the Highgate Senior Living facility until her health declined.

Carol is survived by her daughters, Catherine Nielsen of Missoula, MT, Barbara Nielsen of Boise, ID, Paula (Joe) Ouert of Great Falls, MT; sisters, Genevieve Rafferty of Davenport, IA; brother, James (Kathleen) McCoy of Papillion, NE; seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Marilyn (Paul) Nielsen and numerous nieces and nephews.

Carol was very proud and excited to be a great-grandmother, or “GG” to her four wonderful great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in passing by her husband, William Nielsen; sisters, Martha Butler, Nancy Hinton, Kathleen Louia; brother, Quentin McCoy; grandson, Timothy Hohler; and great-granddaughter, Ziimmerlee Hohler.

Carol was proud of her adopted home state of Montana, but at heart, she always remained an Iowa child.

Special Thanks to the wonderful staff at Highgate Senior Living who truly treated her like family. God Bless you all.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Margaret Carol (McCoy) Nielsen, please visit our floral store.