Martin Nielsen

Martin C. Nielsen, 70, of Indianapolis, IN left the parking lot in a rush on Saturday, June 20th, 2020. Recently diagnosed with cancer and given a month to live, he would likely consider it an accomplishment that he “wrapped things up” in less than 2 weeks.

Born in Clinton, IA to Stanley Nielsen and Mary Becker in 1949, where he developed a lifelong appreciation for real butter only, learned to play cards, began an illustrious amateur career in troublemaking, and came to understand the value of a good antic and a hard laugh.

Growing up in Clinton, IA and the Chicago, IL area, he diligently and ceaselessly tired his mother and older sister, Nancy. Proving difficult to contain, his older sister recalls having to expel him from the house on numerous occasions, likely only allowing his 8 year old self ample time to plot his next move, such as filling his father’s gas tank with sand.

Eventually moving with his father to Cleveland, OH, he graduated from Bay Village High School. Marty worked hard at multiple jobs to avoid his parents and to make the money for his first true calling; working to keep his cars running and looking good, including the restoration of his beloved ‘59 Desoto. And no duty or job was complete without a secondary purpose. A job parking cars, proved the perfect opportunity to hone his car handling, at speed, racing the garage ramps against Larry. A job selling grave sites would serve to provide time to refine his backgammon and turn the doubling cube to win a few extra bucks from Kirk. His National Guard service, a practice site to perfect parking “combat ready” and likely the time with his crew becoming the inspiration for the movie Stripes. He attended West Virginia University aiming toward Forestry, only to return with no degree, a fully developed love of the outdoors, and little fear in trimming a tree or its aftermath, .

In 1971 he was introduced to the love of his life, Donna Nielsen (Mainger) of Cleveland, OH. She was his missing puzzle piece, the completion of his impromptu comedy routine, she, often unwittingly or not, serving as the straight-man to their ongoing double act. She was charmed immediately and eventually duped into taking “their act” on a near 47 year “road tour”, marrying in the early fall of 1973.

Although the 2 door yellow AMC Gremlin served as a fine limousine for the early years of their relationship, in the mid 1970s, Marty pulled up in the driveway with a Checker Marathon, signaling his readiness for a family. Arriving soon after, Dana and Tate were quickly brought up to speed, immediately learning the finer points of lighting an explosive campfire, how to check the emergency brake on a rental, and how to get the most spring out of bouncing from bed to bed.

Marty utilized his likable nature and unique talent for developing relationships in multiple sales positions over the years, proudly displaying his many business cards like license plates on the wall, until finally settling in and completing his career in industrial and robotic equipment sales.

Within the community, he became a dedicated part of Indiana youth soccer. Acting as manager of his boys’ soccer teams, leading to his eventual role in the formation of a new soccer club, and the organization and administration of multiple soccer tournaments. He served as club Vice President and President, and eventually in leadership roles on the board of the Central Indiana Youth Soccer Association. Regardless of his role, he was most at home racing around the tournament grounds on his souped up, gas powered golf cart, first to respond to an injury, giving rides to the concession volunteers, and rushing to the Staff vs EMS soccer match to close out the weekend.

As a friend, Marty was always quick to drop what he was doing to assist others. He worked to create environments in which friends and family were welcome. Joining Donna’s family gatherings, he became the embodiment of the word “rally”. Both as a noun and verb, he would charge into family “rallies” with full enthusiasm, all the while trying to corral and shape events like gift exchanges and after dinner games, so that he could better take part in the Mainger fun.

He loved to gather around a game. Over the years “his” game ranged and changed, to everything from jarts, bocce, bowling, and darts, to backgammon, roulette, and an ongoing fascination with anything cards. Marty was most often found working to convince friends to shoot one more round, or play one more hand. Whenever sharing a meal with cherished friends, Marty was looking for an opportunity for a game to spontaneously begin.

Even in his solitary endeavors, like collecting boxes and birding in his backyard birdseed sanctuary, Marty informally studied and worked hard to become well versed in whatever it was he was doing, seemingly, only in order to share his activities, however unique, with others. He was a member of a Cleveland Area Dart Association championship team in the early 70s, on the face of it, to drink with his friends. He enjoyed outings at the roulette table, apparently to make small talk with the croupier and enjoy the company of fellow players.

For years, he held regular work sessions with friends, where changing oil and performing minor maintenance on cars became bonding sessions, while listening to Click and Clack on Saturday mornings. Marty would say that you haven’t lived until you felt hot motor oil running down your arm.

Marty organized an annual camping trip with family and friends that continued for 30 years. Always enjoying the outdoors, from childhood to his final years sleeping in a tent, camping seemed the only place where there was enough space and lawlessness that he could run around wild and still seem somewhat respectable. Staying behind at the campsite to “defend your honor” during the day and taking “a night run” down the river in the dark, he would come alive organizing and religiously scheduling the packing, planning, and most importantly in monthly calls to invite and confirm the annual invitation and inclusion of well loved friends.

He is preceded in death by his father Stanley Nielsen, and mother, Mary Rees. He is survived by his wife, Donna Nielsen (nee Mainger), and his two sons, Dana, and Tate, his sister, Nancy Driscoll (Michael), sister and brother in laws, Deborah Kaufmann (Peter), Robert Mainger (Leslie), Steven Mainger (Frances), James Mainger (Eileen), Barbara Yommer (Jamie) and his beloved nieces, nephews, and many loved friends and neighbors.

A visitation will be held on Monday, June 29th between 2-4 PM at Indiana Funeral Care, 8151 Allisonville Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46250. A brief memorial service will follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to Indianapolis Parks Foundation, Indy Urban Acres, 615 N Alabama Street, Suite A, Indianapolis, IN 46254 or online at indyparksfoundation.org with a comment “Indy Urban Acres”.

Marty left labels and instructions in red ink on nearly everything he owned, but we have yet to find notes on what to do without him. We can only hope to begin to fill his absence with the many stories and memories he left behind on all the lives he touched.

Any floral orders can be placed with George Thomas Florist.