Mabel Grace Nielson was born on October 30, 1913, on a farm south of Woonsocket, SD, to Martin and Bertha (Schwabauer) Nielson.  She attended the Nielson (rural) School, located one-quarter mile from her family’s farm, for eight years.  She attended one year at Cuthbert High School.  She graduated from Woonsocket High School in 1930.

She attended Dakota Wesleyan University for two years and then taught rural school in Jerauld County for three years.  She completed her bachelors degree at DWU in 1940.  She taught four years in Wessington Springs Public Schools and six years at Mitchell High School.

In 1950, she moved to Omaha, Nebraska, and served in the public school system as a teacher/counselor at Omaha Technical High School for twenty-nine years.  She completed her masters degree at the University of Omaha.  She moved to Mitchell in 1979 following her retirement.

Mabel was a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church.  She was active in Wesleyanns, Order of Eastern Star, Kappa Kappa Iota (national teachers’ sorority), Methodist Hospital Auxiliary, James Valley Senior Center, YWCA and Mitchell Area Retired Teachers Association.  She was an avid fan of MHS and DWU sports.

She is survived by her sister, Marjorie Tschetter-Bates, Mitchell; her brother, Wallace Nielson, Austin, TX; nine nephews and nieces:  Jim (Linda) Nielson, Spring, TX,  Jean (Jim) Beddow, Sioux Falls,  Nancy (Jack) Theeler, Mitchell,  Dwight (Barbara) Tschetter, Minnetonka, MN,  Cindy (Lat) Farr, Venice, FL,  Bob Nielson, Woonsocket,  Pam (Kent) Boline, Mitchell,  Karen Nielson, Ft.Worth, TX,  Richard (Shelley) Nielson, Pierre, SD; fifteen great nephews and nieces and eight great-great nephews and nieces.  She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Wayne Nielson and Kenneth Nielson and two nephews, Gary Nielson and Ron Nielson.