Gayla Halford Nielsen

1958 ~ 2015
Los Angeles, CA-Our beloved wife, sister, daughter and aunt passed through the veil on Monday February 2, 2015.
Gayla was born in Salt Lake City on May 9, 1958, the first child of Woodrow N. Halford & Ada Condie Baird. She grew up in Magna where she graduated from Cyprus High School in 1976. She enjoyed seeing seeing her aunts, uncles and cousins.
Seizing upon every opportunity, she attended Brigham Young University and became a nurse at LDS Hospital. Living in downtown Salt Lake and later on the Avenues she worked hard to obtain a Masters Degree from the University of Utah. She also became a nursing administrator as she pursued her commitment to patient care.
Gayla married John G. Nielsen on October 4, 1996 in the Salt Lake Temple. They lived in the Avenues then moved to Los Angeles where they both studied and worked. In 2008 she accepted a position at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, but just before starting she was diagnosed with gastric cancer. Exercising faith, she underwent surgery which was successful. Weeks later she graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles with a PhD in Nursing. She worked for about 35 years in the health care industry.
As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints she served as a Relief Society President twice and in many other callings. She loved her Savior Jesus Christ and the many individuals in her life. Whether family, friend, fellow health care provider, patient, church member or stranger, she treated all with love and respect.
She is survived by her husband, John, sister, Julie, and mother, Ada.
Funeral Services will be held at 12 noon, Monday February 9, 2015 at the Russon Brothers Mortuary, 255 South 200 East, Salt Lake City, Utah. Friends and family may visit 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. Interment will be at the Salt Lake City Cemetery. Online guestbook available at www.russonmortuary.com