Born January 21, 1930, to Leo Beasley and Helen (Patterson) Beasley she was born the seventh of ten children, Bruce, Herbert, Arthur, Jane, Mary Ellen, Francis, Florence, Renata, and Catherine, in Iowa City, Iowa. She earned her primary and secondary education at St. Patricks Catholic Schools. On March 10, 1949 she married her life partner, Charles (Chuck) Donald Sindelar. Charles was in the United States Army and was stationed at Ft. Mammoth, New Jersey, there a daughter Gail Catherine (1949), and son Stephen Wencil (51), were born in Red Bank, New Jersey. Charles was then transfered to Ft. Wainwright, Anchorage. AK. Nellie stayed behind in the lower forty-eight to give birth to a third child, a daughter Laura Ann(52), then joined Chuck in Alaska, with her three small children. Upon discharge of the military the family then moved back to Iowa City, where Lisa Marie(58) and Kathryn Lynn(59) were born. Life and employment then took the family by train to Green River, Wyo. where Charles Franklin(61) and Stella Louise(63) were born. In 1964 families final destination was then to Ely, Nevada were Sara Jane(64) was born, and where Chuck became an electronics/accounting teacher at White Pine High School until his retirement in 1990.
Sara became physically and mentally retarded in infancy and Nellie cared for her until the age of twelve in the home, looking for numerous miracles from God, taking her to far off places for treatments, and in the end had to resign herself that she must be place into a “home” in Sparks, Nevada. During those years, Nellie found every possibility to help her partner financially raise their eight children on his meager teaching salary, whether it was ironing for others for pay, child care for working mothers, fostering teens, renting out a room and board for summer BLM summer employees, and managing properties for property owners who no longer lived in the area. When Sara was no longer in the family home, Nellie looked around and realized “that none of these children are mine!” So she quit babysitting and began working as a clerk at Halls Hardware, which she loved the social aspect of interacting with the public. In 1979, the two took on a whole new adventure and purchased the El Rancho Motel, to which Nellie ran during the day while Chuck was at school, doing all the maid work and upkeep herself, and having it done by noon so she could enjoy a round of golf in the afternoon which she became fond of and made great friends with the ladies, but she was always a competitor, possibly too competitive to some. During the motel ownership they selflessly helped shelter domestic violence women, and mothers.
Daughter Sara died in 1983, from complications of her illness.
Upon Chucks untimely and premature death in late 1991, Nellie continued to own and operate the motel, with brief hiring of managers, including her son Stephen, or maids, until it sold in 1999. Then she was finally “free” no diapers, no children, or motel that tied her down for 50 years. She then began volunteering at various organizations, such as RSVP, the Sacred Heart Funeral Ministry, March of Dimes walkathons to name just a few. She enjoyed traveling back to Iowa or Florida for reunions with her siblings.
In 2001, she also lost her son Stephen.
She instilled hard work in her children by example, and a sense of selflessness, and proved that “anything could be done if you put your mind to it”. Some of her favorite sayings was “Idle hands, are the devils play things” , “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothing at all,” and “charity begins at home”.
When her health began to deteriorate, in 2010, she moved to Grace Assisted Living in Meridian, Idaho, where daughter Kathy resides with her family. She was once again liberated from the mundane responsibilities of cooking and cleaning, and that she thoroughly loved. She enjoyed bingo, playing cards, yoga, weekly mystery trips, and the Senior Olympics, where she got to feed that drive of competitiveness again, and in doing so won numerous medals. She resided there until her death, August 12, 2015.
Nellie was grandmother to ten grandchildren, Timothy, Annie, Michelle, Ryan, Zachary, Angela, Anna Marie, Sara, Eric and Amelia. Eight great grandchildren, Alex, Courtney, John, Vince, Mason, Golden and Dylan.
There will be a Catholic Celebration of Life, at Grace Assisted Living 1960 The Lakes Place Meridian, Idaho, Friday August 21, 2015 at 11:00 am, presided over by The Holy Apostles Catholic Church. Interment and graveside services will be held at the Ely City Cemetery in Ely, Nevada Saturday, August 22, 2015 at 2:00 pm. Father McShane, from Sacred Heart Catholic Church, will reside and bless the grave site.
She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. Proverbs 31:27 (NLT)
REST IN PEACE MOM YOU BELONG HOME WITH YOUR HUSBAND THANKS FOR MEMORIES LOVE KATHY
Kathy, I remember your Mom and your house as a neighbor and child your Mom took care of from time to time. I loved that attic and all the kids your house held. I remember Sara when Mom and I would visit before I was school aged. I also remember your Dad fixing our T.V. (black and white) and his cool crew cut and glasses.
These are wonderful memories. She was an amazing woman. My deepest condolences, Renae
She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. Proverbs 31:27 (NLT) This is so true of Nellie, Rest In Peace, God Bless!!
Nellie was the most down-to-earth woman I ever knew. I had many conversations with her, and never ceased to be amazed at her accomplishments. She is taking it easy now in God’s house!
I knew Nellie was a hard worker, but reading this obit, I can see she was
an amazing person. God Bless her whole family
I remember Nellie always buzzing around the house & always,Always feeding us!She was a strong woman who can now rest in the LORD…Much love & prayers to all the family especially my dear friend Lisa…GOD BLESS YOU ALL…
God rest the soul of Nellie ,the most beautiful caring person that walked this earth .I have known her for many many years and considered her a true friend .R I P Nellie
I will never forget spending time as a little guy with Nellie and family.
My condolences to the sindelar family
Nellie was a great person and she will be missed!
Love and prayers
From Kevin and Zane Kay wall and family
Dear dear Nellie, one of my dearest and best friends, she was always there for me, there was never a nicer or kinder lady! She was the hardest working person I knew and yet had time to take me to the hospital when my son Shaun was born, like I said she was always there for me, we were neighbors for quite a few years. She helped me with many things, and I loved her like a mom.
It gives us great comfort, for all of these kind comments, thank you to all….
To the family, Sorry for your loss. You’re MOM was a treasure. Nellie, you were a good friend and neighbor. You found the 3 bedroom house for our family just down the street and 1 house away. That move took us(5) out of a cramped 1 bedroom house. You also helped me with the struggles of raising the children, and you did it with kindness and good advice. What some people maybe don’t know or remember, you had a dark side. That side showed up in your game of scrabble. ( OH MY GOSH). To this day I tell people how you could and would beat the pants off of anybody that dared to play the game with you. Since distance separated us, I’m sorry I never had the chance to play a few more games, and maybe, just maybe, I would have managed at least 1 win. Thanks for the memories. SCRABBLE QUEEN, Rest In Peace.
Kathy, Stella and All,
I remember your mom from my childhood, always cooking and chatting with friends. The welcome in your home was unending and the safety and comfort were built from the ground up. As a young girl, living two houses down the street, it was always a possibility that I would be spending the night if the play sessions with Stella went too late or if I didn’t really want what my mom was serving for dinner! Nellie was clearly a highly successful woman and so down-to-earth that you could always count on her for an update and a smile.
I am truly sorry for your loss and I hope her unending grace and kindness will continue to bless the whole family.
Laura,
I am sorry you lost your mother. I have fond memories of all of you.
Linda