Mollie Nichols

Mollie Nichols was born outside of Springfield, South Dakota in 1936 to Ray and Donia Talsma. As the third of nine children on Ray and Donia’s farm and cattle ranch, Mollie remembered her dad defending her from a wayward ram when it charged her. She attended a one-room schoolhouse and would take a baked potato to keep her hands warm on the walk to school, and to eat for lunch. Mollie attended Sacred Heart Nursing School in Yankton, South Dakota. She went to work in Sturgis, South Dakota at a military hospital in the Black Hills.

It was at this hospital that Mollie met the love of her life, Wayne (Nic Nichols, 1931-2012). After a three month courtship, they were excited to start their lives together. They got married and moved to Chicago, where they lived in married student housing at the University of Chicago while Nic finished medical school. Nic and Mollie soon welcomed their first child, Wayne (Mike). Mollie gave birth in the hospital, and while she and Nic were away from their home, the toilets froze over. When the toilets had thawed, and Mollie had recovered, she returned to work at a care home, and took Mike along with her to work.

Mollie and Nic welcomed their second child, Donna, when Mike was 13 months old. By then, the growing family had moved to Denver so Nic could finish his medical residency. From Denver, the family made their way to Wray, CO via a short-lived stopover in Keenesburg, CO. In Wray, Mollie thrived as a member of PEO, Kiwanis, Bridge club, dinner club, and church. She was very outgoing and quickly made many lifelong friends.

After their kids graduated college, Nic and Mollie enjoyed traveling the world, with destinations including Alaska, Africa, New Zealand, and Europe. Mollie joined Nic in earning her pilot’s license. They eventually became snowbirds, living part-time in Jalisco, Mexico, where Mollie became a proficient Spanish speaker. As the years went by, they made the decision to stay closer to home and began spending winters in Green Valley, AZ. During these years, they enjoyed visits with their five grandchildren, Tyler, Thomas, Amalia, Grant, and Casey, as well as their numerous nieces and nephews.

Though Mollie loved participating in her various clubs, one of her favorite roles was that as a grandmother. Mollie treasured her time with her grandkids and loved being their grandma, never failing to pray for them and provide them with homemade granola. She and Nic enjoyed taking the grandkids on elder hostel trips to spend time together.

Mollie was an active member of First Christian Church of Wray, devoting her time and energy to growing the family of Christ and caring for His children. Everyone who knew Mollie knew how much she loved the Lord.

Mollie will always be remembered for her faith, optimism, and the way she always turned to the Lord in both hard times and good times. We’ll always imagine hearing her say “I’ll pray about it” and “we are so fortunate to be in this family” one more time. We couldn't have asked for a better sister, parent, grandparent, and friend, and will miss Mollie every day. Her memory will live on in the hearts of all those who loved her.

Mollie was preceded in death by her parents, Ray and Donia Talsma, siblings Joyce Lukkes, Larry Talsma, Pete Talsma, and Merle Talsma, and her husband, Nic Nichols.

She is survived by her siblings Lyla (and Dennis) Brandt, Rose Adema, John (and Gladys) Talsma, and Bob (and Mary) Talsma, her close friend Bob Peeples, her sisters-in-law Georgia and Tommie Talsma, her children Mike (and Kelly) Nichols and Donna (and Jeff) Iwasaki, and her grandchildren Thomas Iwasaki, Tyler (and Meredith) Nichols, Amalia (and Ross) Pfeifer, Grant Nichols, and Casey Iwasaki, and her many nieces and nephews. Mollie expressed immense gratitude to Rosalie Tarin for her loving care and support in the last several months of her life.

Her memorial service will be 11 am on Friday, August 2nd at First Christian Church of Wray. Donations to First Christian Church of Wray would be greatly appreciated.