Nancy M. Nichols

A Memorial Service for Nancy will be held on Friday, July 14, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Geneva, Nebraska with Kim Dunker presiding. No visitation will be held as it was Nancy's wishes to have her body donated to science. Private Family Graveside Services will be held at a later date at the Geneva Public Cemetery. Memorials are to be directed to Geneva Fire & Rescue. To view the Livestream Video of Nancy's Memorial Service you can go to Farmer & Son Funeral Home's Facebook Page or in your search engine type @friendlyfuneraldirectors and click the link to Farmer & Son Facebook or click this link https://www.facebook.com/friendlyfuneraldirectors and it should direct you to our Facebook Page. Nancy Mae Nichols was born to Leon David and Verda Mae (Hanshew) Hopwood on July 30, 1943, in Stromsburg, NE, living on a farm south of Shelby. She attended Polk County School Dist. #67 (Fairview) through the 6th grade and completed her junior and senior high school years at Shelby Public Schools in 1961, graduating valedictorian of her class. After high school, she worked doing office work for Nielsen Chevrolet in Columbus, eventually moving to Lincoln where she worked for the University of Nebraska in the Food, Nutrition, and Extension offices at the Agricultural College. On a “girls’ night out” at the skating rink, she met James Lloyd Stevens who was in the Air Force and stationed in Lincoln. They married on September 1, 1962, and had a son, James Ray, on July 13, 1963. After completing his military service, they moved to his hometown of Princeton, IN, but eventually settling in Columbus, NE where their marriage ended. She married Richard Clark Nichols on June 26, 1971; he adopted her son; and they enjoyed a great life together in his hometown of Geneva, NE. Nancy did bookkeeping and office work for several local employers, including Fillmore County Bank, Wilkins Steel Buildings, Lincoln Telephone and Telegraph, Nichols Collision Center, L.J. Webb Contractor, and Schoenholz Auction, making many life-long friends. With help from her family, Dick and Nancy took care of her “aging” parents for over 20 years. Nancy was baptized on April 14, 1946, and became a member of the Wesley Methodist Church of Shelby, NE on April 3, 1955. Later she transferred her membership to the United Methodist Church of Geneva where she served faithfully for many years. She enjoyed sharing her love of music by playing the piano and organ for a number of years. Keeping a clean, comfortable home for her family was a point of pride, and she enjoyed visiting with friends both at home and at the VFW with “the coffee group”. She and Dick enjoyed many activities over the years, including golfing, square dancing, camping, gardening, and doing daily crossword puzzles. Volunteering in the community was important to Nancy, and she was one of several local women who worked hard to renovate the library’s “Secret Garden”, making it a lovely addition to Geneva. Her grandsons, Jason and Jacob, were her ultimate “joy”. The boys fondly remember many days spent at Grandma’s house. One of her special treats for their enjoyment was putting coffee grounds in a large box and making roads through the grounds for the boys to drive their trucks and cars on, just like Grandpa did in his job. She is preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Gerald, and her loving husband Dick. She is survived by her son and his wife, Jim and Christina; grandsons, Jason and his fiancé, Zymmir McNeeLee, and Jacob “Jake”; special daughter, Kendra Stevens and her fiance , Eric Beckner; sister-in-law, Donna Hopwood; sisters, Jeanien Poppe and Janelle Hopwood; niece, Daisy Poppe Naber; and nephews, Ronald, Roger, and Rodney Hopwood, Lucas and Mathew Poppe, and William Wilhelms. Her husband’s large family were all a “special” part of her life. Nancy kept busy her whole life, and her daily visits to Jim’s office promptly at 11:00 to see her “favorite” dog will be missed, both by Jim and Emmy!

Tributes

Nancy M. Nichols

July 30, 1943 - July 7, 2023