Laurie Ann Pace

Laurie (Neilsen) Pace, age 60, passed away peacefully at her home in Underwood, IA surrounded by her family after a heroic and courageous 30-year battle against Multiple Sclerosis.

She was born in Council Bluffs on January 21, 1960 to Jim & Dagmar Neilsen. Laurie graduated from Lewis Central with the Class of 1978. She was a graduate of Iowa Western Community College as a surgical assistant, and worked many years as a phlebotomist in a variety of medical facilities, the last being Creighton University Hospital, from which she resigned in 1996 due to complications of her MS.

She married Lonnie Pace on July 16, 1994, and they had 25 wonderful and loving years together before God called her home. Laurie and Lonnie’s greatest achievement was the successful blending of their two families, creating a loving and caring family of 4 daughters.
Though Laurie spent almost half her life challenged by the cruel ravages of MS on her physical body, she never let her disease define her, stop her sense of fun, her ability to laugh at herself, her courage, nor her ability to make everyone she spoke with feel like they were the complete center of her attention. Laurie loved watching the many different species of birds and wild animals that visited her beautiful backyard/bird & animal sanctuary that enjoyed and depended on the many bird feeders, bird baths and feeding stations that filled her yard. She loved hummingbirds, too, and delighted in their semi-annual migratory visits.

Besides meeting all of her previously departed and much-loved cats and dogs at the Rainbow Bridge, Laurie was welcomed into Heaven by her father, Jim Neilsen, and her baby sister, Lynn Neilsen.

Laurie is survived by her devoted husband of 25 years, Lonnie Pace, of Underwood, IA, 4 loving daughters: Jessica Burck (Michael Fields), of Council Bluffs, Kris (Corey) Krupka, of Underwood, IA, Jen (Kevin) Mrsny, of Omaha, Shannon Murphy (Rod Oliver), of Council Bluffs, 2 grandchildren: Logan and Alex Kimball, of Underwood, IA, mother, Dagmar Neilsen, of Council Bluffs, sisters: Lisa (David) Jaskey, of Arkadelphia, AR, and Jamie (Donnie) Biggs, of St. George, UT.

There will be a private graveside service for immediate family. A Celebration of Life service is planned for a future date to be determined at the Hoy-Kilnoski Funeral Home. Memorials may be directed to the family.