Kenna Faye Nielsen

Kenna Faye Oswald Nielsen peacefully passed away on March 8, 2018. Kenna Faye was born in Salt Lake City on January 20, 1926 and was the oldest child of Walter Dewey Oswald and Kenna Amanda Cragun. Her father succumbed to cancer when she was just 5 years old. Her mother remarried a few years later to Al Slater.
Kenna Faye relished school, excelled in English and was an excellent speller. Two years after graduating from East High School, she and some friends went to the Coconut Grove for a night out, where she was asked to dance by a handsome Air Force officer named Milton Sterling Nielsen, whom she married on November 7, 1945 in the Salt Lake Temple.
After several years spent pursuing business opportunities and completing Milton’s education, their young family landed in Myton where Milton was principal of Myton Elementary. Kenna Faye kept busy raising their first three sons Greg, Randy and Kenton and occasionally being a substitute teacher and librarian. Milton later became the principal of Roosevelt Elementary, they moved to Ioka and Tracy and Kirk were born giving Kenna Faye the five sons she had predicted. In 1963 Milton took a teaching position in Bountiful and the family moved to North Salt Lake.
Kenna Faye loved music and musical theater. She had a beautiful voice and freely shared her talent. She was the lead in a local production of ‘Promised Valley’, performed with several singing groups and choirs and sang at innumerable weddings and funerals for friends and family.
As much as she loved music, Kenna Faye’s true pride and joy were her 5 sons, her 18 grandchildren and her 36 great grandchildren. She was a willing typist, editor, nurse, babysitter, teacher, sing-a-long partner and sharer of wonderful music with each generation of her family.
Kenna Faye was blessed with the gift of faith, which she actively exercised throughout her life. She loved the gospel of Jesus Christ and did her part to build His kingdom by serving in many leadership and music callings in including Primary and Relief Society President and many teaching and chorister positions. She also served her community as the local PTA President and as the Regional PTA President for the Duchesne School District.
Kenna Faye is survived by sons Greg (Ging), Randy (Kristin), Kenton (Linda), Tracy (Sallee), Kirk (Sandra) and her brother Al Slater. She was preceded in death by her husband Milton and sisters Nadine, Delores and Laura.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 17th at the Sterling Heights Ward (165 W. Monarch Drive, Bountiful) at 11:00 AM. There will be viewings Friday, March 16th at the Sterling Heights Ward from 6:00 to 8:00 PM and just prior to the funeral service at 10:00 AM. Interment will be in the Bountiful City cemetery. Condolences and flowers can be sent to the Sterling Heights building or Memorial Deseret Mortuary (www.memorialutah.com).
Service Information
Viewing March 16, 2018 at 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Sterling Heights Ward, 165 West Monarch Drive, Bountiful, UT





Viewing March 17, 2018 at 10:00 - 11:00 AM
Sterling Heights Ward, 165 West Monarch Drive, Bountiful, UT





Funeral Service
March 17, 2018 at 11:00 AM
Sterling Heights Ward, 165 West Monarch Drive, Bountiful, UT