Joan Marie Nilsen

Joan Marie Nilsen died in her sleep on July 18, 2013 after suffering a stroke nine days earlier. Joan was born on December 1, 1928 in North Vernon, Indiana. She was married to Ralph Nilsen for 57 years before his death in 2007. Joan and Ralph had eight children and lived in Edison, NJ before moving to Houston in 1968.

Joan had an artistic eye and sharp wit. She was a devoted mother who always had dinner on the table with all her children gathered together. The Christmas holidays were always special around the Nilsen home, when one could be sure to smell cookies baking and hear carols being sung (on key or off!). After Ralph retired, Joan and Ralph enjoyed traveling to Norway, Hong Kong, various national parks, Las Vegas, and Coushatta. Joan dabbled in painting and was a gifted seamstress. She took up quilting later in life, winning numerous awards at the Fort Bend County Fair. In 2012 she was the Member Artist at the Coastal Prairie Quilt Guild Show. She was a devoted member of the Pecan Grove Quilters. She enjoyed Bible study at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Richmond.

Joan is preceded in death by her husband Ralph and grandson Bryan. She is survived by her children Ann Smith and husband Steve, Sue Rezai and husband Hosain, Karen Wooten and husband Mark, Lynn Macko and husband Steve, Ruth Loyd and husband Joe, Lois Nilsen and husband John Rogers, Elaine Polzer and husband Jeff, David Nilsen and wife Laura, sisters Martha Roso, Pat Foat and Karen Mueller, and 25 grandchildren: Joanna and husband Sharif, Erica, Kirsten, Erik, Kevin, Julia, Joe and wife Britt, Mali, Matthew, Kyle, Lauren, Morgan, Rachel, Benjamin, Wesley, Helen, Abram, Paul, Mary, Chad, Nathan, Garner, Luke, Gretchen and Max.

Rosary service and tributes to Joan on Sunday, July 21 at 6:30 pm in the chapel of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Richmond Tx. Memorial Mass at 11 am Monday, also in the chapel, followed by a light lunch.