Charlotte W. Nielsen

Business Woman, Community Activist and Extraordinary Volunteer

Charlotte Nielsen was born in Missouri, raised in Hastings, Nebraska and came to San Diego in 1936. Here she met and married her husband, S. Falck Nielsen, a native of Norway. They had 5 children and started their construction business in 1945, which eventually became the largest Construction Company in San Diego.

In addition to raising their 5 children, she has been active in the community , having chaired the Symphony Ball and the Mercy Ball. A past President of the Social Service Auxiliary and the Thursday Club, she was also active in the Mercy Hospital Auxiliary and a founding member of Freedom's Foundation, MADCAPS, USD Auxiliary and the Millennium Society. In addition, she has been active in her Parish, St. Charles Borromeo, since it's beginning in 1946.

One of her favorite current activities is helping the first graders at the Academy to improve their reading every Monday. She currently serves on the Board of the San Diego Police Foundation.

Charlotte was honored as a "Woman of Valor" by Temp1e Beth Israel in 1972 and a "Woman of Dedication" by the Salvation Army in 1974.

Charlotte resides in the same Loma Portal home that she and her husband built in 1940. In addition to her 5 children, she has 11 Grandchildren and 8 Great Grandchildren.

Women's International Center takes great pride in honoring Charlotte Nielsen with the San Diego Living Legacy Award 2002.

Back to Biographies