Bonnie Kay Ross Nielsen was born on November 4, 1939 to Leland A. Ross and Kathryn Van Padenburg Ross in Salt Lake City, Utah. She returned home to her Heavenly Father on November 18, 2019.
She was married to Gary L. Nielsen for 61 years and they had five children together. She was also a proud grandmother to thirteen grandchildren and six great grandchildren. She is survived by her husband Gary Nielsen, her daughters Leslie Hettinger, Mishelle Kosier, and Kristina Hernandez, and her son, Steven Nielsen. She was predeceased by her daughter, Lori Melville.
Bonnie grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah in the Holladay-Cottonwood area. She lived in the pioneer house that was built by her ancestors and raised horses and other animals. As a young teenager, she trained her horse to square dance and would perform for her school and at local events. She attended Olympus High School and graduated in 1958.
She met Gary soon after graduating high school and they fell madly in love. They eloped to Ely, Nevada on July 21, 1958. They were later sealed for time and all eternity in the Los Angeles, California LDS temple.
Bonnie and Gary owned the Salt Lake Raceway, which she helped to manage and operate. Gary raced his top fuel dragster and she supported him through his many years of racing. They later moved to Anaheim, California, where they lived for 30 years. They opened an auto parts store and she was the bookkeeper for their business for many years. They moved to Sandy, Utah, in 1993, where they retired.
Bonnie had many hobbies during her life, including hiking, camping, arts, and crafts. She enjoyed the outdoors and adored the mountains. She hiked and climbed to the top of Mt. Olympus in Utah and also scaled San Jacinto Peak in California. She loved to collect rocks while hiking or visiting the mountains. She was an excellent cook, home decorator, seamstress, and tole painter.
Bonnie enjoyed snow skiing from a young age and was a superb skier. After moving to California, Gary and her children also learned to ski and they enjoyed many years of fun ski trips together as a family.
She and Gary enjoyed going to vintage car shows and selling auto parts at swap meets together. She loved to travel with family and visited more than two dozen countries, including most of Europe, Egypt and Turkey. Her family was the most important thing in her life.
Bonnie was an active and devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She had a strong testimony of the gospel and held many callings during her life. As the stake humanitarian leader she volunteered a great deal of her time to charity and humanitarian work. She also served on five service missions for the church.
She is remembered by many for her generosity, leadership, and dedication. She was a devoted, loving and nurturing wife, mother, and grandmother. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
Funeral Services will begin at Noon on Saturday, November 23, 2019 at the Pinecrest Ward, 2080 E. Pinecrest Lane in Sandy. A viewing will be held Friday evening at Larkin Sunset Gardens, 1950 E. Dimple Dell Rd (10600 S.) in Sandy from 6-8 PM as well as Saturday prior to services at the ward beginning at 11 AM. Interment to follow services at Larkin Sunset Gardens.
