Paul W. Nielsen peacefully went to be with the Lord on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023, after a long health battle, surrounded by his family. He was 80.
Paul was born May 7, 1943. After graduating from college, he went into real estate for several years.
He married his wife, Maureen, in 1964 and had three daughters, Laura, Jeanne and Kristi.
In 1975, Paul opened his financial-planning business, Providence Financial Services. He built his business on the foundation of integrity, honesty and trust. Because of this, he was blessed to have three generations of clients, many of whom have become friends over the years. He retired June 1, 2023.
Paul was devoted to his family, building a lifetime of memories. The connection he and his wife, Maureen, had was unmatched but observable by all who knew him. He was close with his children, active in their lives and forever supportive of them. He helped them uncover their passions, instilled a sense of confidence and resilience in them, and supported them in any way he could. He was always loving, caring, supportive and encouraging, and he always took care of his family.
Paul had a great sense of humor and was always prepared with a joke. He had the gift of gab and loved talking with people, so making them laugh and smile came naturally to him.
He loved to travel and took beautiful photographs of the places he visited. He was looking forward to devoting more time to photography on his retirement.
He was an avid reader and loved sitting outside in the backyard, enjoying the sunshine and the gardens. He also loved spending time at the ocean or on his boat, but most of all, he loved spending time with his wife and family.
Paul had a strong faith, leaning heavily on God through the good and difficult times in life, and setting an example for others. His life was exemplary, being a strong man of faith, family and integrity. He always believed that God had him, and now he rests peacefully with the Lord.
He is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Maureen; his daughters, Jeanne (and husband, Anthony Cristiano) and Kristi (and husband, Todd Drew); and his grandchildren, Vivienne Cristiano, Tyler Drew and Joshua Drew.
He was predeceased by his daughter Laura Kim Nielsen.
A memorial visitation will be held on Friday, Aug. 18 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Goble Funeral Home, 22 Main St., Sparta.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Aug. 19 at noon at Rockaway Valley United Methodist Church 38 Valley Road, Boonton. A repast will take place immediately following at the church parish building next door.
In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations to be made to the Rockaway Valley United Methodist Church Memorial Fund or to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital (https://www.stjude.org), a charity Paul regularly supported.