Patricia Louise Nielsen, 74, passed away December 25, 2011.  She was born January 13, 1937 in Los Angeles to Willard and Agnes Bergren.  Raised in South Pasadena, California, she graduated in 1955 from South Pasadena High School, where she was a member of the Bengals, an honorary service organization, as well as a flag girl.

Pat graduated from UCLA in 1959 with a degree in bacteriology.  While at UCLA she was a very active member of Delta Gamma.  She married John 'Rus' Nielsen (SPHS '54) in 1959 and they had three children, Laurie, Brad, and Krista.  Pat's husband was a career Army officer and as a result, she lived in California, Maryland, Texas, Alabama, and Europe.  In all those locations she served as an officer in various officer's wives clubs.  Retiring from the Army in 1980, the family returned to California where she and her husband owned and operated a small business for eight years.  Retiring again, the family moved to Las Vegas in 2002.  The past nine years, Pat and her buddies could be seen every Friday and Saturday in her big red truck, visiting every estate sale in the valley.

Besides her three children, Pat leaves her husband of 52 years; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.  Pat will be missed and forever loved.

Las Vegas Review-Journal, January 1, 2012