William P. Nielsen III

William “Bill” Nielsen III, 88, entered rest Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, at his home in Trussville, Alabama. Celebration of Life Memorial Services will be 11 a.m. Monday, March 4, at First Methodist Trussville Church in Trussville, Alabama. Visitation, with family receiving friends, will be 10 a.m. to service time at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the First Methodist Trussville Missions, c/o Cindy Nielsen, 202 Powell Place, Trussville, AL, 35173. Powers Funeral Home in Creston is providing information. Online condolences may be left at www.powersfh.com.

William Peter Nielsen III, was born June 21, 1935, to William Peter Nielsen II and Anna Wilhelmina Westphal in Paullina. The family moved to Los Angeles, California, where Bill grew up, later moving back to Paullina. Bill graduated from Paullina High School in 1953 and Iowa State Teachers College (UNI) in 1957. Bill was united in marriage to Janice Marie Burger in 1955 in Adel, and three sons: Chad, Todd and Kurt, were born to this union. Bill and Janice later divorced.

After graduating from college, Bill was a high school football coach and teacher for 20 years, serving at Brooklyn, Eldora, Indianola and Creston. He also served as athletic director for Creston Schools, after getting out of coaching. Bill was inducted into the Iowa High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 1980.

On June 9, 1977, Bill was united in marriage to Cindy K. Downing (Sharp) in Creston. In 1981, they moved to Alabama, where he went to work with his brother as vice-president of Schreiber Corporation in Trussville. Bill worked there for nearly 10 years, before starting his own industrial cleaning service.

Later, Bill felt the call to the ministry while serving the elderly in hospitals and in their homes. He became a Methodist minister and was appointed to Smoke Rise Methodist Church in Hayden, Alabama, where he served for 10 years until his retirement.

After retirement, Bill became very active in First Methodist Trussville Church. He and Cindy became leaders in Bridge Builders, where they helped feed, aid and clothe the homeless in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. Bill and Cindy were also very active in the Walk to Emmaus, a Christian organization that helped build stronger Christians to serve in their respective churches.

Survivors include his wife Cindy Nielsen, of Trussville; their children, Chad (Jodie) Nielsen, of Morris, Alabama, Todd (Beth) Nielsen, Creston, Kurt (Kathy) Nielsen, of Freeman, Missouri, Todd (Lesa) Downing of Creston and Brett (Kathy) Downing of LaVista, Nebraska; 11 grandchildren: Ashley Nielsen, Brock Nielsen, Olivia Nielsen-Irr, Evan Nielsen, Alec Nielsen, Chelcee Rathe, Trevor Downing, Chase Downing, Myla Downing, Kassidy Nielsen and Elizabeth Arledge; six great-grandchildren; one brother, Keith Nielsen and three sisters: Patty Nielsen, Donna Talbot and Betty Calabrese.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Loren Nielsen and two sisters, Shirley and Nancy.