Anne Nielsen

Anne S. Nielsen, 71, died in an automobile accident on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 21, near Marysville, Kan. Anne was a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She was born Dec. 24, 1950, to Ed and Marie Slattery of Weeping Water, Neb. She graduated Weeping Water High School, and later Kearney State College. In May, 1973, Anne married Monty E. Nielsen of Kearney. In addition to her KSC baccalaureate degree, Anne earned both a master's and Ph.D., in special education, from the University of North Dakota. Her career as a teacher of the blind and visually impaired extended 40 plus years in North Dakota, Washington state, Wisconsin and Kansas. Anne was an excellent teacher and advocate. Her greatest passion was for infants and toddlers-she frequently was quoted as saying "Don't forget the babies" when tasks were being assigned and resources allocated. In all things she did, Anne was passionate about identifying and meeting the needs of others. She was selfless, gracious and kind.

In addition to her work with the Kansas State School for the Blind, Anne worked in partnership with the Kansas Optometric Association (KOA) to broaden, enhance and strengthen statewide vision services at all levels. Anne was known regionally and nationally for her successes. She traveled internationally to Peru and Nigeria to teach and assist in vision trainings for children, as well as conducting vision screenings in Manhattan on behalf of the Manhattan Lions Club.

In retirement, she continued to see and assist babies and their parents. Anne was active in the Manhattan Lions Club and a volunteer at Ascension Via Christi, most recently working in out-patient services. Anne was honored by the College of Education at the University of Nebraska, Kearney with their Distinguished Educator of the Year Award in 2014. Anne was also a fantastic sister, aunt and friend-she was a devoted Catholic, and will be cherished and missed by all who knew her.

Anne is survived by her husband, Monty of Manhattan; son, Monty Philip of Brooklyn, N.Y .; granddaughter, Alexandria, 11, and grandson, Anthony, 6, both of New York; daughter, Noreen of Washington, D.C .; and sisters, Suzanne Stander and Patricia Dorwart; and brothers, James Slattery and Joseph Slattery, all of Nebraska, in addition to several nieces, nephews, in-laws and other extended family. Anne was preceded in death by her eldest sister, Noreen Slattery; and her parents, Ed and Marie Slattery.

Visitation will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m., today (Thursday, Sept. 29) at Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, with a vigil to follow at 7:30 p.m. A funeral mass will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, Sept. 30, at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 2900 Kimball Avenue, Manhattan. Inurnment will be in the St. Thomas More Columbarium.

Online condolences may be left for the family through the funeral home website at http://www.ymlfuneralhome.com.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to either the KC Blind All-Stars, or the Lions Sight Foundation. Contributions may be left in care of the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66502.