W. Keith Nielson

Funeral services will be held at 4:00 pm on Wednesday, December 22, 2010 in the Delhomme Chapel of the Flowers for W. Keith Nielson, 63, who passed away on December 18, 2010. Mr. Nielson, a resident of Lafayette, LA, was the son of Keith Nielson of Leamington, Utah and the former Camille Rosquist of Fountain Green, Utah. He served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. He was the Owner/Operator of W. Keith Nielson Land Services, and has worked in the oil industry for 39 years. Mr. Nielson was a skydiver since 1984 and formed the Flying Dragons Skydiving Team in 1985. As a professional skydiver with over 3800 jumps, he has participated in many skydiving demos including all McNeese State home football games, the annual TEE Cotton bowl in Ville Platte, LA, UL Fan Day and the annual Veteran's Day Ceremony in Dry Creek, LA. He also participated in opening day youth baseball games in Scott, LA and Lafayette Christian Academy homecoming football games, both in which his granddaughter, Taylor, played sports. He was also a member of The Parapokes Skydiving Team. Keith loved to fly and was a licensed aircraft pilot. He was an avid animal lover and leaves behind many dearly loved rescued pets and neighborhood strays and his beloved horse, Sugar. He is survived by his wife, Sandra Fung Nielson of Lafayette; three children, Wendell "Butch" Nielson and wife Val of Sandy, Utah; Traci Hebert and fianc' Kelly Gibson of Lafayette; and Kenneth "Tree" Nielson and wife Anastassia of Orlando, Florida; three grandchildren, Taylor Arceneaux, Katya Nielson, and Sonya Nielson; his father, Keith Nielson of Lynndyl, Utah; siblings, Doug Nielson and wife Jodi, Kay Stowell and husband Roger, Sheila Park, and Sheryl Wilson and husband Scott all of Lynndyl, Utah as well as his sister in law, Linda Vincent and brother in law, Tommy Vincent of Lafayette, LA. He was preceded in death by his mother and his brother-in-law, Mike Park. The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Delhomme Funeral Home of Lafayette on Wednesday from 10:00 am until 8:00 pm in Lafayette with funeral services being held at 4:00 pm. In lieu of flowers the family request that donations be made to ARF-LA (Animal Rescue Foundation of Louisiana) at P.O. Box 53501, Lafayette, LA, 70505. Personal condolences may be sent to the Nielson family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com. Delhomme Funeral Home, 1011 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, LA, is in charge of funeral arrangements.

W. Keith Nielson

September 27, 1947 - December 18, 2010