Obituary of Ruth H. Nielsen

Ruth H. Nielsen, 50, of Iowa City, died unexpectedly, Sunday, February 12, 2012. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m., Thursday, February 16, 2012, at the Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m., Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Ruth Nielsen Memorial Fund. Online condolences may be sent to her family through the web @www.gayandciha.com. Ruth Helene Hippen Nielsen was born on April 13, 1961 in Buffalo Center, IA to Raymond and Henrietta Walters Hippen. She was baptized and confirmed at the First Reformed Church in Buffalo Center. She graduated from Buffalo Center High School in 1979 and went on to the University of Iowa where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing in 1983. Ruth met Jeffrey Nielsen while they were both students at the University of Iowa. They were married at First Reformed Church in Buffalo Center on July 21, 1984. They made their home in Iowa City. Their lives together were blessed with the births of two daughters, Brooke Nicole and Morgan Elizabeth. They are a close family and always enjoyed going to school and sporting activities for the girls. They enjoyed many fun filled family vacations together. Ruth loved to travel and see new things and take pictures. She took a very special trip to New Zealand in April 2011 with her three sisters to visit Morgan while she was doing a semester abroad. The sisters were looking forward to a trip in March to New York City to visit with Brooke. Ruth began her career as a staff nurse on the otolaryngology adult in-patient unit at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in 1983. In 1986, she began working on the Otolaryngology Clinic. She continued working there until the time of her passing. Ruth was a member of SOHN and served on the board at the local level. She was a Certified Otorhinolaryngology and Head-Neck nurse. Ruth loved life and her family very much! She also loved Hawkeye Football and working as a nurse. Her last gift to others was as an organ donor. Ruth's family includes her husband, Jeff; daughters, Brooke of Rochester, NY and special friend Zhas Amirov, and Morgan of Des Moines, IA and special friend Kyle Berillo; her mother Henrietta Hippen of Buffalo Center, IA; special uncle, Alvin Walters of Buffalo Center, IA; father-in-law, Roger Nielsen of Iowa City, IA; sisters, Susan (Steve) Dudding of Kimball, MN, Jean (Mike) Bristow of Alexandria, MN, Diane (Dennis) Murray of Mankato, MN; brother and sister- in-law Scott and Kelly Nielsen of Hiawatha, IA; special aunt Beverly Smith of East Moline, IL; nieces and nephews Emily (Dana) Sands, Tim Dudding, Rachel Dudding, Andrew (Megan) Bristow, Megan Bristow, Laura Murray, Megan Nielsen and Shane Nielsen. She is also survived by her many friends and co-workers. She is preceded in death by her father, Raymond Hippen, her mother-in-law, Barb Nielsen, her special uncles, Herman Walters and Gary Smith, and her grandparents.