Ada Mae Nichols, 81
Mae joined her beloved husband, Dave, with their Lord and Savior, Jesus, on March 29, 2012, in Coeur d’Alene. Dave passed away Jan. 26, 2012, and did not have to wait too long this time for his wife to get in the truck.
William and Blanche Sexton were blessed with Ada Mae on May 18, 1930, joining her two teenage brothers, Floyd and Howard on their farm in Harvard. She was born in Moscow at Gritman Hospital, so that must have been quite the trip in those days in the cattle truck. Because both of her parents died when she was only 10 years old, her brothers took turns raising her. She attended schools in Harvard and Potlatch until she married David R. Nichols on May 22, 1948.
Mae and Dave had three children, Linda DeLano (Steve) of Mesquite, Nev., Kathy Murrell (Don) of Coeur d’Alene and Norm Nichols of Helena, Mont. She is survived by all of them.
She spent the early years raising her three children, and then worked at places like Woolworth’s and the Brunswick Café. But she had a lifelong dream of continuing her education, so in her later 30s she went to college and became a licensed practical nurse in the days when they wore starched white hats and uniforms. She used her degree to the fullest by nursing people until she retired. Way to go Mom!
Her best work was yet to come through when she took care of her husband for 15 years after his stroke while being paralyzed on one entire side. After her health failed they spent the last four years in the loving care of the staff at Autumn Haven before most recently moving to Life Care of Coeur d’Alene. Thanks to all of you. She did not give up until her job taking care of Dave was done. Well done true and faithful wife.
Passing before her were her parents; brothers, Howard and Floyd and his wife; her beloved sister-in-law, Melva and special niece Janet Jovanovich.
Besides her children, she is survived by her much loved grandchildren, Cori Mundee and, Donnie Murrell, Pam Coe, DJ and Todd DeLano, Travis Nichols; 10 special great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews including, special nephew Dallas Sexton of Harvard and niece Ann Louise Kirby and their children.
See you soon loving Mom, Grandma, Aunt. Give Dad a hug for us.
Services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 4 , 2012, at English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene.
Please sign Mae’s guest registry and view her online memorial at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.