Eleanor Nissen

July 9, 1924 – May 4, 2011

Eleanor M. Nissen, 86 beloved wife of Ole B. Nissen passed away on May 4, 2011, surrounded by her loving family. Eleanor is survived by her husband of 56 wonderful years Ole, her children, Karen Nissen, Peter and Terri Nissen, Eric Nissen and her special grandchildren, Christian B. Nissen III, Ole “Brody” Nissen II, William Nissen, and Eleanor Nissen. She was predeceased by her oldest son, Christian Nissen.

Eleanor had a happy life as a wife, Mother and Grandmother “Bedste.” She graduated from the Massachusetts General Hospital as a registered nurse in 1948 and volunteered as a nurse in Los Angeles for the polio epidemic. She left Los Angeles for Hawaii where she worked for two years as a nurse at the leper colony on Molokai. She returned to Boston and worked at various hospitals in the Boston area before marrying the love of her life Ole on March 12, 1955. She then moved with Ole to California, Denmark, and back to Boston. In 1962 she and the family moved to North Palm Beach, Florida where she spent the remainder of her life. She was an active Mother who helped start the school library at St. Clare’s School and volunteered for many years at Cardinal Newman High School. She was a member of the Lost Tree Club in North Palm Beach and Lake Toxaway Country Club in Lake Toxaway, North Carolina.

Eleanor was an amazing woman who dedicated her life to her family and will be greatly missed by her husband, children, grandchildren and friends. The family asks that any donations be made to the Christian B. Nissen memorial Fund at Baptist Hospital, Wake Forest University.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Monday, May 9, 2011 from 6:00pm until 8:00pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00am on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at St. Patrick Catholic Church with interment to follow at Riverside Memorial Park.