Dave Eric Nielsen, 80

A memorial visitation for David (Dave) Eric Nielsen, 80, of Gainesville, was held June 9, 2022, at Walnut Lawn Funeral Home in Springfield. Burial was at Missouri Veterans Cemetery, also in Springfield. 

Dave died June 6, in Springfield. He was born on Dec. 17, 1941, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He attended Alexander Ramsey High School and then served in the Navy for three years as a FTG2 on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Randolph, which took him around the world and most notably to the Cuban blockade. He was a recent resident of Battlefield but called Gainesville his home for most of his adult life.

Dave was married to the love of his life, Juanita, on July 30, 1966, and they enjoyed 53 years together until her passing in March 2020. From their marriage, two children were born and several dogs were adopted.

Until vascular dementia robbed him of his mobility, Dave enjoyed canoeing, camping, long walks in the woods, Sudoku and an ice cold Diet Coke at least once a day. He never met a state park he didn’t like, especially in Arkansas, and spent many years pulling a pop up camper to a campsite with a lake view.

Though Dave was employed in several different fields in his lifetime, everything from repairing mainframe computers to over-the-road trucking with Juanita to driving a dedicated route to Fed Ex, his favorite “job” was working the 40 acres he built a passive solar house on in 1979. He mowed acres of “lawn,” had a garden the size of a soccer field, built rock walls to keep the wet creek on course and cut wood for the wood stove all year round. He loved every minute he spent on that place.

Dave was a man who knew the contentment of having achieved a dream or two. Rest easy.

Dave was preceded in death by his beloved wife Juanita and his parents Frantz and Evelyn Nielsen.

He is survived by his daughter Laura Rankin and husband Tom; his son John Nielsen and wife Mindy; four beautiful grandchildren: Kylie Hoelcher, Ben Rankin, Catie Rankin and Gabby Nielsen; two brothers, Doug Nielsen and Dennis Nielsen, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Arrangements in care of Walnut Lawn Funeral Home Ltd. DeGraffenreid – Wood Crematory.