Viola Ellen Nielsen

Viola Nielsen, 71, of Stevensville, died peacefully at home on Tuesday, May 24, 2016. A Celebration of Life will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 28, at Starks and Menchinger Chapel & Cremation Services, 2650 Niles Road, St. Joseph. Burial will follow at Lincoln Township Cemetery in Stevensville. Friends may visit from 5-7 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Planned Parenthood or the Southern Poverty Law Center. Those wishing to sign Viola’s guestbook may do so online at  “http://www.starks-menchinger.com Viola was born on March 23, 1945, in Benton Harbor to William and Mildred (Lowry) Ast Jr.  She graduated as valedictorian from Lakeshore High school in 1962, then went on to study sociology at Michigan State University, where she graduated with honors in 1966. On Nov. 29, 1980, she married Ronald Nielsen at their home in Stevensville. Viola worked for the Michigan Department of Human Services for over 30 years. She was part of the Berrien County Democratic Women’s organization, where she worked as an officer. She enjoyed reading, gardening, sewing, traveling, and the beach, which she would visit almost every day in the summer. Most of all, she loved spending time with her friends and family. Viola is survived by: her husband, Ron Nielsen; children, Michelle Nielsen (Ted Stenger) of Stevensville, Carrie (Sang Yi) Quinn of Altadena, Calif., Nari (Dale) Nielsen-Beeney of South Haven, and Elizabeth (Anderson) Bortoletto of Madison, Wisc.; grandchildren, Gage Melton, Julius Melton, Samantha Beeney, Corinne Beeney, Adeline Yi, and William Yi; siblings, Judith (Jan) Brunvand of Salt Lake City, Utah, Janet Ast of St. Joseph; William (Nancy) F. Ast III of St. Joseph; and numerous nieces and nephews.   Viola was preceded in death by her parents.