Melissa Agnes Nielson

She was born on December 13, 1934 in Central City, Nebraska, to Henry and Eva (McMahon) Bolling and grew up with two brothers and four sisters.

Melissa taught Country School (K-8) in her home town of Central City, Nebraska, before meeting and marrying Gerald (Jerry) Hannappel of Clarks, Nebraska. They were married over 20 years having seven children. Melissa always said “my greatest accomplishment is raising my kids”. Living on a farm for so many years, with her dogs, horses, pigs and goats, not only was she a loving and caring Mother to her own kids she also became the neighborhood Mom to so many.

Melissa was remarried to Vern Nielson in 1997 till his passing 17 years later. They loved to travel throughout the US visiting many wonderful places enjoying the beauty of nature. This also gave her the opportunity to add to her prized sewing thimbles collection from every state which she proudly displayed in her home.

Melissa worked for City of Phoenix in the building permits department until her retirement. In her retirement she found joy in tracing her family roots as she became very involved creating a family tree in Geni Online. She connected with and met so many distant relatives through doing this. Holidays were always a very special time for her, no matter what the occasion you could always count on seeing her home decorated inside and out. Melissa loved to recount stories of her life growing up on the farm in Nebraska, whether it was capturing and preparing chickens for the family dinner, or climbing up the windmill, or her brothers making a horse out of snow so she could sit on it, or how she and her sisters would dress up in their mother’s clothes, the memories always put a smile on her face.

Melissa is survived by Sons and Daughters, Theresa (Jesse), Deborrah (Keith Jones), Gary (Pam), David, Lynn (David), Ted (Brandie). Her son Michael (Kathy) passed in 2017. She is also survived by her Grandkids, Brad, Danielle (Jeremy), Scott (Priscila), Briette (Christopher), Kinsey (Jordan), Brysen, Ambrin, Camilia (Brad), Dalynn, Joshua, Hayden, Colton, Natasha, Jade, Jacob, and Charlotte; Great Grandkids, Arianna, Arizona, Evelyn, Laila, Myla; Her Sisters, Phyllis, Carol and preceded by her Brothers, Phillip, Charlie and her Sisters, Catherine and Mayme along with many Cousins, Nieces and Nephews in Nebraska and the Midwest.