Dr Muriel Nielsen died suddenly on 13 September 2012. She was New Zealand's third woman ophthalmologist, after Drs Caroline Stenhouse of Christchurch and Dorothy Potter of Masterton. Muriel provided an outstanding ophthalmic service to the Rotorua area for 35 years.Dr Nielsen was born in Downhill, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, the youngest of six children. Her medical education was at Trinity College, Dublin, where she won the final year prize in surgery. Following a year as house surgeon, Muriel became a registrar at the Birmingham and Midland Eye Hospital where she completed the Diploma in Ophthalmology. After this success she decided to visit her sister who was living in Wellington, and before leaving Birmingham she secured a registrar appointment in the eye department at Wellington Hospital. She frequently rode her horse to the hospital much to the delight of colleagues.After 2½ years in Wellington, Muriel was encouraged to accept a part-time consultant position in Rotorua, which was without ophthalmic services, and the centre of a large Maori population. Patients came from far and wide. Some walked from Opotiki, and district nurses brought Maori children from outlying schools.As the only ophthalmologist in the area, Muriel's professional life was demanding. There was a considerable load of trauma surgery before the days of laminated car windscreens, seat belts, and drink-driving laws. Also, diabetic retinopathy was prevalent in the Maori population. Some relief came after 16 years when Dr Murray Ashbridge arrived in Rotorua in 1971.Muriel married George Nielsen, an electrical engineer, soon after arriving in Rotorua, and together they brought up four children. Combined with hospital duties and private ophthalmology practice, this made for a hectic life.Despite such family and professional demands, Muriel was a foundation member of the Rotorua branch of Zonta, and was on the local branch of the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind. She also maintained her lifelong interests in the piano and foreign languages.After 35 years of sterling ophthalmic service to the Rotorua area, Muriel and George retired to Auckland to be nearer their family.Muriel was a dedicated ophthalmologist, and a loving wife and mother. Our sympathy is with her husband George, four children, and five grandchildren. Bruce Hadden (Honorary Associate Professor, University of Auckland), with assistance from George Nielsen, wrote this obituary.

Dr Muriel Nielsen died suddenly on 13 September 2012. She was New Zealand's third woman ophthalmologist, after Drs Caroline Stenhouse of Christchurch and Dorothy Potter of Masterton. Muriel provided an outstanding ophthalmic service to the Rotorua area for 35 years.Dr Nielsen was born in Downhill, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, the youngest of six children. Her medical education was at Trinity College, Dublin, where she won the final year prize in surgery. Following a year as house surgeon, Muriel became a registrar at the Birmingham and Midland Eye Hospital where she completed the Diploma in Ophthalmology. After this success she decided to visit her sister who was living in Wellington, and before leaving Birmingham she secured a registrar appointment in the eye department at Wellington Hospital. She frequently rode her horse to the hospital much to the delight of colleagues.After 2½ years in Wellington, Muriel was encouraged to accept a part-time consultant position in Rotorua, which was without ophthalmic services, and the centre of a large Maori population. Patients came from far and wide. Some walked from Opotiki, and district nurses brought Maori children from outlying schools.As the only ophthalmologist in the area, Muriel's professional life was demanding. There was a considerable load of trauma surgery before the days of laminated car windscreens, seat belts, and drink-driving laws. Also, diabetic retinopathy was prevalent in the Maori population. Some relief came after 16 years when Dr Murray Ashbridge arrived in Rotorua in 1971.Muriel married George Nielsen, an electrical engineer, soon after arriving in Rotorua, and together they brought up four children. Combined with hospital duties and private ophthalmology practice, this made for a hectic life.Despite such family and professional demands, Muriel was a foundation member of the Rotorua branch of Zonta, and was on the local branch of the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind. She also maintained her lifelong interests in the piano and foreign languages.After 35 years of sterling ophthalmic service to the Rotorua area, Muriel and George retired to Auckland to be nearer their family.Muriel was a dedicated ophthalmologist, and a loving wife and mother. Our sympathy is with her husband George, four children, and five grandchildren. Bruce Hadden (Honorary Associate Professor, University of Auckland), with assistance from George Nielsen, wrote this obituary.