Randy Nielsen, 1957-2011

[Jack Boyd]

Big Randy Nielsen, 3 Gun ShooterRandal George Nielsen
1957-2011

"Don't use "The Force" use your front sight"
__

Sent to me by:
Tim "3Gun Kelly"

[quig]

I met Randy at one of your 3-gun classes. He was very helpful and even let me borrow his shotgun when mine failed.

It sounds as he will be greatly missed.

[SuperSet]

What? I can't believe this. He was such a great guy. RIP Brother

[bjl333]

RIP Randy !!!

[WoodrowShootist]

Gonna miss you Randy. Glad I got to be victim of your knowledge and humor.

Mark
aka kooch's brother but not real brother
aka koochette

[bear308]

The most EPIC man most of us could ever meet passed away this morning.

Big Randy was the one man that kept an entire circle of people going in some of the worst times possible, or got them going better in the moderate times. It took a lot to get the big man down, only ever happened a few times, but this time he is not getting back up.

I met Randy just short of a decade ago. The man was the only thing that got me to go to work some days. He made a great gig greater, and increased the worth of anyone around him (unless is was a gun sale). He was the greatest friend, mentor, and "Uncle" any of us could have ever met.

Randy was always the first one to take a new shooter to the match, or show them ropes at the range. I know over a dozen people that shoot today directly because big Rand got them started, and countless others that they have in-turn brought into the sport. The man was just helpful, we all probably should have listed to his sage advice more, but the little we did gleam from him was enough to make all of us so much better than we were before. Always ready to try something new, even at sacrifice to his own body and mind. "I'll never forget the time he..." will probably never be uttered more about one man. And with such useful help, like "it was great plan until you shot that hostage", "advice, yeah, shoot fast and don't miss", "stop using the force, they put sights on the gun for a reason".

His sense of humor was second to none. I have never seen one person able to take so many grown men and turn them into giggling little girls, many a strong willed serious man has been taken to one knee from laughing so hard. From the road trips to matches, the "what are you wearing" phone calls, watching the manila mafia shoot a stage, anything and everything was a laugh waiting to happen or a surprising e-mail you shouldn't have opened at work. The man was the epitome of Moral Officer.

And the nicknames, the dude just had a talent for them. All of us had at least one perfect one, and the more lucky (or unlucky depending on view) had a few. I'll never forget all of the other guys I've met and still hang with. Timmy 2hole, Code-4, The big O, The kooch brothers (but they're not really brothers), KOOCH, Spruce Bruce, Batman & Ruca, Codename "NO" Jay, Chin Nutz, Rusty Nutz, Smoking Joe Crump, Cujo, JPenis, English Bob, Woozambique, Burt's Kids, The company swordsman, and Barkly the Dog (an actual dog, not the most creative on that one, but it worked). Just to name a few.

Randy is survived by his Mother, Wife and two sisters. . . and Barkly the Dog, see no bull, he named the dog barkly.

He was the biggest and best pipe-hitter and true friend anyone could have.

I'm sure he's on his way up, but if he's heading down, that's where I want to go to.

I hope you all find "some scantily clad with women, with questionable morals", and a great dude to share the war stories with, I might not have found a lot of the first, but I sure as **** found the second.

I'm sure as **** gonna miss my "Uncle" Rand, Mongo

[3gunner]

Big Randy was one of the good guys, I will miss seeing him around and the world is a lesser place without him.

You no longer move slow now that you have the wings of an angel.....

RIP my friend

[HighLander51]

Wow, Jack, really sorry to hear that. I know you said he was in the hospital but it sounded like he would pull thru. Randy will be missed by all the competitive shooters. He had a way to keep you going when things were screwed up.

[nsginc]

My condolences to Randy's family and friends. Thank you Randy for all the help you gave my brother and myself.

[Sam Houston]

I have been out the range all weekend and come home to hear the sad news,
Randy was and ever will be a man to be looked up to.
One cannot say enough good about this man,

Randy, I will miss you.
My heart just aches.

Sammy

[tenpercentfirearms]

I e-mailed him Friday night and then read the news this morning. He was a great man.

[3GunFunShooter]

RIP Randy.
Sorry I did not get to let you know you were right about the Remington 1100's, I finally bought a M2 Benelli. Should of listened to you years ago.

[esskay]

Such sad news... RIP Randy...

[Yar]

It's taken me a few days to let this set in to the point I would type something. The only thing bigger than big Randy was his heart. Somebody who could laugh at himself and was never too critical about his own shooting. Some people take this shooting stuff way too serious, maybe myself included. Randy had the ability to shoot just for fun and conseqently when you squad with him it make your day more fun too. I remember when we were running behind on set up at SWPL (seems to happen all the time). Randy and Tim would pitch in. In fact I remember Randy buying the club a bunch of target sticks after the match because the ones we had were all shot up. He bought me a new hammer too as we were all sharing a hammer to do set up. Randy was somebody that thought about the other guy. Something we should all try to follow his example as he will be missed.

[glockman19]

RIP Randy