NEILSON, ELIZABETH MARGARET - After a protracted illness, Elizabeth "Liz" Margaret Neilson died on Sunday morning at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital. She is survived by her husband, William Douglas Neilson; her sons, Shane Douglas Neilson (Janet) and Corey Andrew Neilson (Joanne); her step-daughter, Lynn McKeen; her grandchildren, Zdenka, Cade, Logan, and Kazuo; and her sisters, Kay Foran and Jackie Wood. Liz was born on February 5, 1940 on a farm in Newcastle, New Brunswick and was educated by nuns. She studied nursing at Hotel Dieu School of Nursing in Bathurst and became a Registered Nurse in 1960. She received further training for a BSc in Nursing Administration at Dalhousie University in 1967 at a time when a degree in nursing was uncommon. From there, she embarked on a career in nursing administration in the province, eventually becoming the Director of Nursing at the Oromocto Public Hospital in 1977. When regionalization was introduced by the McKenna government in the mid-90’s, Liz’s responsibilities expanded to include nursing services not only Oromocto, but ten other rural centres, including Doaktown, Boiestown, Harvey, McAdam, Chipman, Minto, Perth-Andover, Plaster Rock . . . perhaps you met Liz in your community? Liz was happy making positive changes in health care delivery to the people of New Brunswick and was at the forefront of planning, implementing, and managing such changes. After she retired from nursing in 2006, her former job was split into two positions. During and after her incredible nursing career, Liz was a devoted mother and volunteer to many organizations. She progressed to Dame of Grace of the St. John Ambulance in 1996, the highest rank in the organization, a distinction awarded by the Lieutenant-Governor. She died having served the organization for over 40 years. She was a member of the Victorian Order of Nurses and sat on both the national and local boards. She kept her fingers on the pulse of New Brunswick healthcare post-retirement by serving on the board of Horizon Health Care. She was a long-time member of the Oromocto Rotary Club and served as its president twice. Because both her boys played hockey, she served on the board of the Oromocto Minor Hockey Association from 1984-1992 and became the first (and to date only) female chair of that association in 1992. She was made a Fellow in the New Brunswick Order of Hockey. She was a member of the Catholic Women’s League. Liz received many awards for her service to the people of New Brunswick, including a Merit Award from the Province of New Brunswick, a Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2003, and a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013. Perhaps the most poignant image of Liz is a quiet, private one: her head in a book, her reading lamp on, the rest of the room dark. Her dedication, loyalty, selflessness, and intelligence were remarkable, as was her humility. Save for close friends, few people knew the extent of her accomplishments, but everyone who knew her understood that, for her, family was the most important thing of all.
Visitation will be held at the Oromocto Funeral Home on Wednesday, November 12, 2014 from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church on Thursday, November 13, 2014 at 11:00 am with Fr. Antonio Reyes as Celebrant. Interment will follow in the adjoining cemetery. All are welcome to a reception in the church hall following the burial. For those who wish, donations in Liz’s memory can be made to St. John Ambulance, the Victoria Order of Nurses (VON), or to the Rotary Club of Oromocto. Personal condolences can be left at www.oromoctofh.com