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February 18, 2022Eleanor Nielsen, 90, of Dannebrog, mother of West Nebraska Catholic associate editor Colleen Gallion, died Feb. 7, 2022, at home with her children by her side. Her wishes were to be cremated and private family burial of ashes will be at a later date at Clarks Calvary Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the family. All Faiths Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
She was born Dec. 23, 1931, to Frank and Josephine (Siemek) Gembica at Polk County. She was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic faith at Clarks. She attended country schools in that area and graduated from Central City High School in 1950. After graduation, she worked at the Merrick County Courthouse as a secretary to the county clerk and district court offices. In 1954, at just 22 years old, she was unanimously elected Clerk of the District Court in Merrick County, the youngest ever appointed. She then moved to Grand Island and worked at an irrigation company.
She married Myron Nielsen on June 28, 1956. They lived in Grand Island, then moved to the Nielsen family farm near Dannebrog. She was a homemaker, raising six children, sewing clothes, gardening and canning. She was an excellent baker and was well-known in the area for her cinnamon rolls, doughnuts, and pies. She later worked in the kitchen at Centura Elementary in Cairo. The couple divorced in 1995 and she began working in the housekeeping department at the Grand Island Independent until 2009. She also worked at the West Nebraska Register for nearly 20 years. She spent many hours babysitting her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who always made her smile.
She was a prolific reader and enjoyed doing word puzzles. She loved to bake, always making pie on Sundays and bars and cookies for her kids to eat after school. She loved polka music and country music, especially music by Johnny Cash and Alan Jackson.
Survivors include her six children: Rita (Jay) Flohr, Julie Liske and Colleen (Todd) Gallion, all of Grand Island; and Connie Morton, Jim (Coryn) Nielsen and Gina (George) Lamm, all of Dannebrog; 12 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her older brothers, Lawrence, and Leonard; a granddaughter, Megan Gallion; and a sister-in-law, Fran Gembica.
