Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Francis Willett, Junior of Dallas, Texas, announce the engagement of their daughter, Mary Kershaw to Thomas Slemons Nielsen Jr. of Charlotte, N.C.

The bride-elect is the granddaughter of Mrs. William Burrell Patterson of Columbia, South Carolina and the late Mr. William Burrell Patterson. Her paternal grandparents are the late Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Francis Willett, formerly of Lookout Mountain, Tenn.  Miss Kershaw is a graduate of The University of the South and is presently employed at Sagent Advisors, Inc.

The groom-elect is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Slemons Nielsen of Evergreen. He is the grandson of Mr. John Martin Nielsen of Evergreen and the late Mrs. John Martin Nielsen and Mrs. James Hilliard Dunklin III of Greenville and the late Dr. James Hilliard Dunklin III. Thomas is a graduate of The University of the South and is presently employed at Bank of America Corporation.

A July 23 wedding is being planned at The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee.