Jeanenne Lyon Nielsen

Hyrum, Utah — Jeanenne Lyon Nielsen, a devoted wife, mother, and disciple of Jesus Christ, passed away peacefully on March 8, 2026, surrounded by the love of the family she spent her life building.

Born on May 17, 1944, in Overton, Nevada, to Warren McLachlan Lyon and Dorothy Bowman, Jeanenne grew up under the desert sun. Her childhood was filled with the simple joys of playing outdoors with her siblings and friends and helping the family raise pomegranates. She spent many teenage summers enjoying the waters of Echo Bay on the shores of Lake Mead.

After graduating from Moapa Valley High School, she attended Dixie College in St. George before transferring to Utah State University. It was there, while earning her degree in Business Administration, that she agreed to a blind date and met the love of her life, Brent Joseph Nielsen. Following a year-long courtship, they were sealed for time and all eternity in the Logan Utah Temple on June 6, 1966.

Though Jeanenne never quite learned to enjoy the cold winter weather, she and Brent settled in Hyrum, Utah, where they established a dairy farm. Just nine months later, they welcomed the first of their five children. Jeanenne balanced the demands of farm life and motherhood with grace, guided by a special bond with her mother-in-law, who taught her the arts of cooking, candy making, and homemaking.

Jeanenne was a woman of many talents. She spent her autumns processing the harvest from her garden and her evenings in competitive bowling leagues, even traveling to tournaments with Brent. However, her true creative legacy lies in her needlework. What began as a hobby in sewing blossomed into a lifelong passion for quilting. Up until her final days, Jeanenne’s hands were busy creating beauty; she donated countless quilts to veterans, her church, and various charities, ensuring her warmth would be felt by many.

In 1983, Jeanenne entered the workforce as an administrative assistant for the Dean of Graduate Studies at Utah State University, where she served with dedication for 22 years.

A lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jeanenne was an aspiring disciple whose faith was visible in her actions. She served in many callings and dedicated decades to genealogy work. Alongside Brent, she spent over ten years in senior missionary service at the Bishops’ Storehouse and Home Storage Center in North Logan.

A passionate sports enthusiast, Jeanenne was a devoted Utah Jazz fan who delighted in sharing her love of the game with her family. She cherished social connection, finding great joy in the Red Hat Society, Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, various Quilt Guilds, and the Hyrum Senior Center. In their later years, she successfully "twisted Brent’s arm" to take several cruises, creating lasting memories across the seas.

Jeanenne endured many physical challenges during her life with remarkable grace and patience. She was a woman defined by kindness, generosity, endurance, and a willingness to sacrifice for those she loved. Above all else, she was proud of her family and lived for the joy of a loud, happy family gathering.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her brothers, Calvert Baxter Lyon and John Warren Lyon; and her sister, Rebecca Lyon.

She is survived by her devoted husband, Brent Joseph Nielsen; her children, Jill Ford, Andrea (Sherwin) McCarrey, Rebecca Hoth, Darin Layne (Shelli) Nielsen, and Brandon Oaks (Jen) Nielsen; as well as 18 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren who will miss her dearly.

Jeanenne is now free from physical pain, enjoying a glorious reunion with the loved ones who went before her.

Till we meet again... we love you, Jeanenne!

Funeral services will be held on Friday, March 13th at 12:00 PM at the Hyrum 3rd Ward Chapel, 95 North 675 West in Hyrum. There will be a viewing from 10:00-11:30 AM prior to the funeral at the church.

Funeral services can be viewed live via ZOOM by clicking this link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86899370963