Jennifer Eileen Nielsen Gordon's Obituary
Jennifer Eileen Nielsen (Gordon), aged 59, passed away in the early hours of the morning, on June 17, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio.
Born on August 15, 1964, Jennifer's life was marked by a profound connection to her heritage as a proud member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation in South Dakota. She was a great-granddaughter of Dakota chiefs and headmen, signatories to important treaties involving the Dakota aboriginal homelands of the Upper Mississippi River Valley. Her dedication to sharing and celebrating her culture was evident throughout her life.
Jennifer attended Irving Elementary and was a graduate of Lima Senior High School. Her life was rich with learning and teaching about her heritage to the world around her. She was a prolific reader, enjoying a vast number of books including her favorite book, Waterlily, by Ella Cara Deloria.
Her life was full of joy and love, which she shared generously with her family and friends. She is survived by her sons, Ben (Elizabeth) Gordon, Aaron Gordon, and Nathan (Brian) Gordon-Merschman; a brother, James Nielsen; and granddaughters, August Joy Gordon, Kendra Tidd, and Lea Tidd. Jennifer was preceded in death by her parents, John E. and Emma V. Nielsen; siblings, John D. Nielsen, Joy Nielsen, Vickie Nielsen; and adoptive sister, Becky Murphy.
Jennifer's hobbies included swimming, reading, and spending countless hours with her beloved cats, Mulder and Scully. However, her greatest joy was the time she spent with her granddaughter, August Joy.
A celebration of life will be held in her honor at 7:30 PM on Friday, June 28th at Bruised Reed Ministries, 1637 Reservoir Rd., Lima, Ohio, friends may call from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM.
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