Christian Peter Nielsen

RIVER HEIGHTS, UTAH: Christian P. Nielsen died in Logan on April 15, 2007 at the age of 88 of causes incident to age. He was born September 23, 1918 in the family home at 455 West Second South, Logan, the seventh child of Anton Christian and Johanna Jensen Nielsen.
He graduated from Logan High School in 1937. After attending USU, then working in California, he volunteered in 1940 to serve in the Army Air Corps and was assigned to the 12th Bomb Group. He served in Karachi, Calcutta, Barrackpore, New Delhi (India), Burma, Bombay, and Melbourne, Australia, helping to stop the Japanese advance in the P-acific Theatre. He flew missions in dive bombers, and in B-17, B24, and B-19 aircraft. He served five years, one month, and fifteen days, being honorably discharged on September 20, 1945.
He met Ruth Sealy while attending Utah State University, and they married on March 19, 1947. After completing a B.S. degree in Journalism in March, 1948, he became the Logan bureau chief for the Deseret News. He held this position for sixteen years and reported, with words and photographs, on murder, suicide, jail breaks, escaped convicts, fires, auto and airplane crashes, earthquakes, presidential and other elections, inaugurations, ground-breakings, society events, death, burials, reunions, birthdays, and many other events.
When the Deseret News closed their Logan bureau, Chris declined a promotion in Salt Lake City so his family could remain in Logan, and accepted the position of Publications Editor with the Extension Service at USU. He completed assignments in Nairobi, Kenya, Mogadishu, and Somalia, Africa establishing a printing unit for the Somali Ministry of Agriculture. He was awarded the 1983 Epsilon Sigma Phi State Distinguished Service A ward and retired in 1984 after twenty years of service.
He was a member of the Logan Golf and Country Club for 53 years. Until Ruth's death in 1989 from cancer, they traveled extensively. He was a gardener, a golfer, a fisherman, a painter in oils and watercolors; and a skilled writer, having his articles published in several national magazines. He and Ruth were faithful members of the LDS church, honorably serving in many positions of responsibility throughout their lives.
Chris is survived by two sons, Richard (Margo) Michaelis and David (Sandy) Nielsen, and two daughters, Brenda (Lynn) Thurston and Janice (Matt) Baetge. Also surviving are his sister, Ida C. Lewis, Burlingame, California, eleven grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Joseph and Axel, and his sisters Ruby, Crystal, and Erma.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday at 11:00 am in the River Heights 1st Ward, 800 South 600 East. There will be a viewing Wednesday evening from 6-8 pm at the Allen-Hall Mortuary and at the church on Thursday from 9:30 - 10:30 am. Interment will be in the Logan City Cemetery with a military tribute by the American Legion. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Senior Citizens Center of Logan. The family would also like to thank the staff of Sunshine Terrace Rehabilitation Wing for the exceptional care that was given to our dad during his time there. Condolences and memories may be sent to the family at www.allenmortuaries.net