Leon Nielsen, 70, was international expert on wildlife and executive director of WI Humane Society
Hoodude
By AMY RABIDEAU SILVERS
July 21, 2007
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Like the protagonist of some continent-hopping novel, Leon Nielsen
became an elite soldier in his native Denmark, served with the U.S.
Special Forces in Vietnam, worked as a forest ranger and wildlife
officer in Canada, and became a wildlife expert in Africa.
"He was self-taught," said his wife, Jill Turcott-Nielsen. "He read
anything and everything, and he took college courses. He always had
this interest in animals, and in Canada, he was patrolling thousands
of miles of land. Because of his survival background, he was
comfortable in dealing with bears and elk and wolves."
His last stop was the Milwaukee area. Nielsen arrived in 1976 to work
with the Wisconsin Humane Society, becoming executive director in 1979.
Nielsen also met his wife on a blind date in 1985. They married six
months later, long making their home in Brookfield.
"He wanted us to get married before he took a photographic safari
group to Kenya," she said. "I waited until I was 37 to marry, and he
was 48. I just can't imagine being married to anyone else."
Nielson died of cancer July 6. He was 70.
His first home was in Viby, Denmark.
"His first memory as a child was when he was 3 years old, and he was
sitting in a stroller," his wife said. "He remembered seeing the
Germans march in - the goosestep - to occupy Denmark."
Nielsen's parents joined the underground. His father was killed by the
Nazis, and his mother was forced into hiding for three years. She left
him in the care of his maternal grandparents.
Years later, despite visits from his schoolteachers, his grandparents
insisted that he learn a trade rather than take the academic path. He
was enrolled in a welding apprenticeship at 14, but he kept taking
high school courses in the evening.
"He hated it, and he left after 3 1/2 years," Turcott-Nielsen said.
His ticket out was joining the Danish military at 18.
Nielsen served with the Danish Army Special Operations Forces, known
as Jaegerkorpset. He also completed U.S. Army Ranger training, U.S.
Army Special Forces training, parachute training programs with the
United States, West Germany and Britain, and the Danish navy's combat
swimmer course.
In 1966, he left the military to work with the Department of Lands and
Forest in Alberta, Canada. There he began developing his knowledge of
animals and wildlife.
By the time he was working with the Wisconsin Humane Society, Nielsen
was an international expert in capturing wild animals with remote-
delivered drugs. He wrote extensively on the subject and worked as a
consultant with zoos and with Safe-Capture International.
He also wrote other reference books, including on military matters and
book collecting.
"He had strong ideals, high ideals and a strong sense of needing to
contribute," his wife said. "And he was willing to take risks and act
on behalf of things he believed in."
Other survivors include sons Logan and Flemming; sister Melitha
Oerting; and family members in Denmark and Canada.
A private service was held.
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