A celebration of life for longtime Durango resident Adele Nielsen will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Elks Lodge, 901 East Second Ave.
Nielsen, a frequent participant in the Snowdown Follies, died on Jan. 31 from injuries she suffered after falling off stage before a performance.
Nielsen moved to Durango in 1968. She married Sal Graziano and together helped start Olde Tymer’s Cafe. She also held several jobs at Purgatory Resort.
Nielsen appeared in 24 productions of the Follies, which has been putting on performances for 34 years.
One of Nielsen’s most memorable characters was “Rindercella,” a parody of Cinderella in 2012. She was also known for popping out of a Dell computer box saying, “Does somebody need Adele?” – a nod to her own name.
Nielsen was known for her enjoyment of the nightlife in Durango, as she would drink with customers in the evenings and then visit other restaurants to continue partying.
She sold her remaining ownership at Olde Tymer’s Cafe nearly three months before her death.
Her husband died three years ago. She is survived by her older brother, Eric Nielsen, an older sister, Karen Lamb, and a younger brother Kent Nielsen.
asemadeni@durangoherald.com
