Obituary of Helen M. Nielsen

Helen M. Nielsen passed away peacefully on June 5, 2021, at age 100. She was born on May 30, 1921 in Fairfield, Connecticut, to John and Anna (Gefrich) Dobrich. She is survived by her brother Bob Dobrich of Vancouver, Washington, and her three sons, Allen Nielsen of Lakeland Ranch, Florida, Mike Nielsen of Oak Park, Illinois, and Mark Nielsen of Ivoryton, Connecticut, along with four grandchildren, four great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by her parents, husband Albert “Al” Nielsen, brother George and sisters Mary, Ann and Arlene. Helen, as she was called by everyone who knew her, even her sons, was long-time resident of Trumbull, Connecticut, living in the Nichols section during early life and in Long Hill after she married Al in 1942. She moved to Ivoryton, CT in 2006 to be closer to her son Mark. She attended Harding High School in Bridgeport. She spent most of her life raising her three sons, making sure they were active in in sports, from baseball to skiing, and being a home-maker and housewife, which she found very satisfying and fulfilling. She was an active member of Grace Episcopal Church in Trumbull and spent many years as a Sunday School teacher. After the passing of her husband, Helen had to readjust her life, getting her driver’s license, at age 48, and starting a new career, becoming production supervisor at Red-L Foods in Monroe, eventually retiring in 1992. One of her prouder moments was watching her son Allen be commissioned in the US Navy, but she was equally proud of Mike and Mark when they graduated UConn and went onto post-graduate studies at the University of Chicago and University of Rhode Island, respectively. An avid baseball fan, Helen followed the Brooklyn Dodgers religiously, much to the chagrin of her father who was a diehard Yankees fan. She passed her love of the Dodgers on to her sons, who continued to follow the team even after they moved to LA. A thrilling experience occurred when she and Al were at the 1956 World Series game when Don Larson pitched his perfect game. After her move to Ivoryton, she began following the Boston Red Sox with the same passion. Her other great sports love was the UConn women’s basketball team. During the season, she watched every game – was happy when they won, disappointed when they lost, and got really excited during close games. Of course, there were some schools that were not among her favorites. A Service of Christian Burial will be held at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Ivoryton, Connecticut on Monday, June 14th at 10:00 am. For anyone wishing to make a donation in Helen’s memory, please consider making a donation to support the UConn women's basketball program, as she definitely loved her UConn women. To share a memory of Helen or send a condolence to her family please visit www.rwwfh.com Arrangements are in the care of the Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home in Centerbrook.