Dorothy Louise Bardwell Nielsen, 83, formerly of Great Falls, Vaughn & Wolf Creek, MT, died at the Yuma Regional Medical Center due to complications after heart surgery in Yuma, AZ on December 15, 2014. A funeral Service will be held on Saturday, December 27, 2014 at 11am at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 845 U.S. Hwy 89 Sun River, MT with a viewing at 10am. Graveside service to follow at the Sun River Cemetery.

Dorothy, or “Dot” as her friends affectionately called her, was born in Great Falls, MT January 21, 1931 to Freda Louise Kost & Lawrence Richard Bardwell. She and her only sibling, an older brother Lawrence, attended grade school in Colombia Falls and graduated from Great Falls High School.

Dorothy worked a number of jobs throughout her life: Farmer’s Union Co-op, Kress’ Department Store and Consolidated Freightways. But it was while she was a carhop at Pete’s Drive-in she met the infamous George Corbett Nielsen who would sweep her off her feet!

She married George on May 12, 1951 and they became the proud parents of 3 children. Through this union, she was introduced to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and shortly thereafter became a member, which she claimed to the end of her days was the best decision of her life! In 1962 they built a home in Vaughn and lived there prior to the 1964 flood which devastated them, but through perseverance, they were able to recover and spend 30 years there.

Dorothy was an office/billings specialist at Consolidated Freightways for 33 years, retiring in June of 1992. During this time, she would follow her children, Georgia, Darryl & Dennis in their various activities and would also become an avid genealogist, consumed with the stories and pictures of her past. This love would take her all around the country on the back of a Honda Gold Wing with her husband. They would eventually make Wolf Creek their permanent summer home, while snow birding in Apache Junction, AZ in the winters, selling their home in Vaughn and making new friends all along the way.

Dorothy was known by her family and friends to be “upbeat, positive and very social. She was willing to help anyone, anytime, a beautiful lady who carried herself very well!”

She was a very good host; you never left her home hungry. She fixed fabulous meals for friends and family. Many were the lucky recipients of her generous gifts; talents in the form of sewing, crocheting, and ceramics. She loved the holidays and any occasion to get her family together! She was grateful for her children, adored her grandchildren and was revered by her great grandchildren!

Dorothy was married to her sweetheart for just one week shy of their 62nd anniversary when he passed on before her just 18 months prior.

She is survived by her daughter, Georgia (David) Rushton of Nephi, UT; two sons, Darryl (Christine) Nielsen of Vaughn, MT & Dennis (Mary) Nielsen of Yuma, AZ; sister in-law, Phyllis Bardwell of Missoula, MT; her favorite Aunt, Edna Hamrell of Great Falls; 14 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made in her honor to a Genealogical Society of an individual’s choosing or to the Primary Children’s Medical Center Foundation, PO Box 58249, SLC Utah 84158-0249, the hospital that saved the lives of a granddaughter and a great-grandson.

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