St. Clair County Obits

MARY CATHERINE BRACK NIELSEN

Clinton Daily Democrat
12 November 2004
Mary Catherine Nielsen, 83, died Sunday, October 24, 2004, at Clinton Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center. She was born August 20, 1921, in St. Clair County to John Brack and Ethel D. Ferguson Brack. Mary Catherine grew up in the rural Lowry City community on Brack Farms, owned and operated by her father.
She attended First Baptist Church of Lowry City throughout her youth and there in 1930 she met and became friends with her sister-in-law-to-be Winnie Wright. Mary Catherine accepted Jesus into her heart in 1934 and was baptized in the Osage River near the Browns Ford Bridge November 11, 1934, along with her brother Harold, friends John, Dorothy, Dana Jeffrey and Geraldine Hawkins.
She attended Pleasant View School and graduated Lowry City High School in 1939. Mary Catherine graduated along with JN Nielsen, who became her husband of 62 years, as well as many other lifelong friends. Those friends include her sister-in-law, Winnie Wright Brack, Geraldine Hawkins Stehwein and Dana Jeffery Sharp. They have remained very close throughout her life.
Dana and Mary Catherine shared birthday and Christmas cards for 65 years without missing one of these celebrations. She faithfully sent birthday cards, Christmas cards and anniversary cards to a host of friends and relatives without fail.
On June 27, 1942, she married JN Nielsen and they lived in Lowry City and later moved to Raytown and lived there until the 1950s. After leaving Raytown, Mary Catherine and JN moved to Chelsea, Oklahoma, and again later moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1961. They resided there until 1994. Following this long stay the couple then decided to move closer to their family and childhood home. Clinton has been their home for the last 10 years.
Mary Catherine and JN traveled through many states with their motor home and were avid "Rock Hounds". They were also members of Indian National Ramblers RV Club for many years. JN and Mary Catherine have been faithful members of First Baptist Church of Clinton since their return to Missouri. The couple has participated in Sunday school activities along with other church functions. They have celebrated Christmas with the Brack family every year since their return.
The Wright family reunion has been another of their favorite activities for years. Mary Catherine was truly a lady of grace and etiquette, always knowing what to say and when to say it, with the gift of encouragement for all. She had the respect of all of her family and friends alike. Her strong Christian faith led her to always have the greatest concern for those around her, rather than herself. This was one of her many, very fine virtues. Greetings and goodbyes with her always included a warm kiss and a big hug.
She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Harold Brack and John Howard Brack Sr., and one nephew Warren Henry Brack.
Survivors include sisters-in-law, Winnie Wright Brack of Clinton, Ruth Groff of Deepwater, Doris Williams of Lee's Summit; several nephews and nieces, James Harold Brack and wife Linda of Deepwater, John Howard Brack Jr. and wife Clarenita of Overland Park, Kansas, Frank Charles Brack and wife Jonetta of Clinton, Paul David Brack and wife Jeffra of St. Charles, Peggy Sue Brack Hills and husband Fred of Osceola, Marilyn Kay Brack Barnes and husband Larry of San Antonio, Texas, Linda Shackleford and husband David of South Salem, New York, Charles Williams and wife Judy of Lee's Summit. She leaves a host of great-nieces and nephews, plus many great-grand-nieces, nephews and many friends.
Funeral services were held at Vansant-Mills Chapel Wednesday, October 27, at 10 a.m. with Rev. James H. Brack and Dr. Randy Shipman officiating. Pallbearers were James Brack, John Brack, Frank Brack, Paul Brack, Timothy Brack and Todd Young.
Burial was in Lowry City Cemetery under the direction of Vansant-Mills Funeral Home of Clinton.