Alice Nielsen

Brownsmead

Oct 16, 1934 — Feb 26, 2023

Born in Astoria, Alice Joyce (Oja) Nielsen’s maternal family came from Sweden, and her father’s family came from Finland. Her dad, Oney, worked in logging and fishing in the area, and her mom, Esther, ran their small farm. She had one older brother, Owen, who lived in Astoria all his life.

Alice graduated from Knappa High School in 1953, making lifelong friends. She attended Lewis and Clark College in Portland for two years as a music major, and sang in several choral and jazz ensembles.

Working at Timberline Lodge during a gap year, she met and married snowcat operator Kaare Nielsen, a recent immigrant from Norway. They had five children and moved to Beaverton in the late 1960s. She and her children returned to her Brownsmead home, and her mother, after a divorce.

An avid reader (especially poetry) and an accomplished bread baker (especially Finnish cardamom bread) she was a rural route mail carrier for many years.

She liked to travel, and was close with her Swedish cousins. She made several trips to Sweden to visit family, and loved traveling to other parts of Europe.

A lifelong Democrat, she loved animals, and adopted many strays, welcoming any animal that came to her door. She lovingly raised Scottish Terriers for over 40 years.

Her life was dedicated to being a great mom. She died peacefully in her sleep at home.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother.

She is survived by her children, Katrina Nielsen, of Portland, Kristine Aguilar, of Beaverton, Rebecca Nielsen, of Astoria, Laura Nielsen, of St. Petersburg, Florida, and Nick Nielsen, of Portland; four granddogs; and a close feline companion. She also has a sister-in-law, Mozelle Oja, living in Astoria; and multiple nieces and nephews in Astoria, Portland, Salem and Stavanger, Norway, and multiple cousins in Sweden.

Remembrances can be made to any animal organization such as the River Song Foundation, Clatsop Animal Assistance or Oregon Humane Society.