Roy Nielsen, Jr

Roy Nielsen, Jr. DVM, age 93, of Mesa, Arizona, formerly from Sioux Center, Iowa, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, November 21, 2023.

Visitation with the family present will be on December 5th from 3:00 - 4:30 pm followed by a Celebration of Life service at Memorial Funeral Home with Pastor Jeff Whitt officiating.   Livestream Link: Roy Nielsen, Jr

Roy Nielsen, Jr. was born on October 4, 1930, to Roy, Sr. and Elva (Urban) Nielsen in Bismarck, North Dakota. He was the oldest of 3 children. He was educated in Mercer, North Dakota, and graduated at age 16 from Mercer High School in 1946. He graduated in 1951 with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Education from Concordia College at Moorhead, Minnesota. He continued his education at Kansas State in 1951 with a scholarship in Biology and Endocrinology for two years. He was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was stationed at Camp Pickett, Virginia; then he went on to Murphy Army Hospital in Waltham, Massachusetts. After two years in the service, he received an honorable discharge on September 8th, 1955. Roy, Jr. went on to Kansas State College in Manhattan, Kansas, where he received his DVM degree in 1959.

After being in practice in Worthington, Minnesota, and George, Iowa, he moved to Sioux Center, Iowa, in 1974. He became part owner of the Sioux Center Veterinary Clinic and had a large animal and sale barn practice. His claim to fame was that he preg-checked more Holstein cattle than anyone in the country during that time. He also oversaw many 24-hour plus cattle dipping operations. Roy, Jr. DVM sold his veterinary practice in 1989 and started Revival Animal Health in the basement of his home. He is the namesake for the Doc Roy’s line of pet supplements.

On March 16, 1957, Roy Nielsen, Jr. was united in marriage to Helen “Louise” L. L'Huillier in Manhattan, Kansas. They were married and blessed with six children. Throughout their marriage, they were able to travel to many places both in this country and abroad. Roy and Louise loved their trips to Israel, Hawaii, and the Cayman Islands. The adventures they shared will live on as wonderful memories. In 2008, he moved to Mesa, Arizona, and resided there until his death.

Roy, Jr. is survived by his six children, Roy Nielsen, III of Sioux Falls, SD; Elva (Rodney) Wells of Sioux Center, IA; Thomas Nielsen of Canton, SD; Karen (Larry) Miedema of Sioux Center, IA; Jennifer (Todd) Van Briesen of Sioux Center, IA; and Jean-Paul Nielsen of Elk Point, SD. He is also survived by his 10 grandchildren, Stephanie (Kyle) Den Herder, Brian Nielsen, Nathan (Becky) Miedema, David Miedema, Mark Miedema, Roy Nielsen, IV (Drew), Chyann (Grant) Zevenbergen, Corbin Van Briesen, Gabrielle Nielsen, and Liam Nielsen; as well as seven great-grandchildren, Taya Den Herder, Jayden Miedema, Bennett Miedema, Alex Miedema, Hudson Den Herder, Audrey Zevenbergen, and Prynce Van Briesen.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by Louise; his brother, Urban; sister-in-law, Doris; and sister, Gloria. His ashes will be laid to rest in Wahpeton, North Dakota, next to his parents and his brother.