Betty Grace Nielsen

Betty Grace Thompson Nielsen, 93, passed away Dec. 14, 2023 due to complications from Alzheimer’s.

She was born in Warren Ohio and graduated high school in Lakewood, Ohio in Jan. 1949. In 1952 she married Robert Cuebas and in 1955 they had their only child, a daughter they named Nancy Jayne. In 1960 she began working at North Olmsted Congregational Church as their secretary. In 1971 she started at the North Olmsted Police Dept. as a secretary to the lieutenant, who later became chief. She was divorced in 1974 and her daughter had moved to Atlanta for college, so in 1976 she relocated there and began another secretarial job with Advance Security. She married a co-worker, John Nielsen, in 1984 and divorced in 1994. She began to take care of her daughter’s twins, who had been born 12 weeks premature that January of 1987. She moved in with her daughter in 1994. She even worked as a bagger at Kroger. When the twins were old enough to be left on their own, she began a part-time job as Assistant to the Pre-School teacher of the 2 and 3 year olds at McKendree United Methodist Church, where she was a member from 1989 to 2023. She retired from that position at the age of 80!

Her main hobby was reading – she was a voracious reader until about April 2023 when her dementia made it impossible.

She was the best mother anyone could ask for. Everyone who met her loved her.

She is survived by her daughter, Nancy Riley, Lawrenceville, GA, ex-son-in-law, Michael Riley, Lawrenceville, GA, Grandson Kevin Riley (Alex), Winder, GA, Granddaughter Lauren Riley Abbasi (Umer), Lawrenceville, GA, Great-granddaughters Reyah and Zarah Abbasi (Zarah was born on Betty’s 93rd birthday 11/6/23), Niece Karen Burger (John), Delaware, OH, Nephew Dan Thompson (Ruth), Summerville, SC, Niece Sandy Thomas (Ed), Bellville, OH, Niece Kathy Hornyak (Gary), Laurinburg, NC, Niece by marriage Elaine Ward, Brecksville, OH, Niece Barbara Thompson (Ray Mazzei), Pittsburgh, PA and Niece Janet Thompson, Alpharetta, GA.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association: https://www.alz.org/get-involved-now/donate