Estelle M. Nichols
Estelle Margaret Nichols, comforted by the last rites of her Mother Church and with her family and friends present, passed to her eternal rest on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017 at the California Care Center after a 10-year battle with Parkinson’s Disease.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m., Friday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Vandalia with Fr. Jason Doke officiating. Burial will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery in Martinsburg.
A Rosary will be recited at 5 p.m., Thursday at the church with Visitation following until 7:30 p.m. A prayer service will follow visitation.
Estelle was born July 9, 1936 in Martinsburg, the daughter of Henry and Anna Ahrens Aulbur. She was a graduate of St. Joseph School in Martinsburg and was a member of the first graduating class of Community R-VI High School in 1954.
On March 2, 1957, Estelle was married to Donald Nichols at St. Joseph Church in Martinsburg. She was employed by Mexico Savings Bank in Mexico, then became a full-time mother and housewife. Later, she served 30 years as bookkeeper and secretary for Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Vandalia. Mrs. Nichols was extremely devoted to Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
Estelle loved to garden vegetables and flowers, and was a wonderful cook. She was a talented seamstress and loved to crochet, crossstitch, embroider, and craft. She also enjoyed visiting with her best friend, Becky McCollum.
Survivors include her husband, Donald of Vandalia; five children, Dale Nichols and wife, Kathy of Ozark, Teresa Nichols of Westborough, Mass., Barbara Bossert and husband, Peter of Arnold, Diane Kemna and husband, Dan of Jefferson City, and Michael Nichols and wife, Staci of California; 10 grandchildren and step-grandchildren, Kira, Cody, Megan, C.J., Nathan, Henry, Kari, Xavier, Ali, and Brooks; two sisters, Agnes Bertels of Mexico, and Jannette Grossman of Wellsville; brother-in-law, Richard Nichols and wife, Virginia of San Marcos, Texas; and several nieces and nephews.
Estelle was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Anna Aulbur; two brothers, Richard and Raymond Aulbur; one sister, Mary Ann Brinker; and four nephews, David and Joe Aulbur, and Edward and Daniel Bertels; three brothers-in-law, Walter Grossman, Vincent Brinker, and Gerald Bertels; and her father and mother-in-law, Russell and Hilda Nichols.
Memorial donations may be made to the St. John Food Bank, Parkinson’s Foundation, or to the donor’s choice. All may be sent in care of Arnold Funeral Home, 425 S. Jefferson, Mexico, MO 65265.
Online condolences at www.arnoldfh.com.
