Rachael (Woody) Nichols, 93

Rachael Woody Nichols, daughter of Julia (Gilmore) and Reuben Martin Woody, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family at the ranch in Post Falls on May 23, 2014. Mrs. Nichols was born in a log cabin in Hagerman on Jan. 8, 1921.

Mrs. Nichols was a trailblazer in her professional career. She attended colleges and universities in the U.S. and two foreign universities in the 1940s, being one of the first women to acquire a law degree from the University of Idaho and Master of International Law at George Washington University. She practiced law for several years in Washington, D.C., and was admitted to practice before state and federal courts and in 1951, to the Supreme Court of the United States.

Rachael Nichols enlisted in the Army after losing her first husband, Sgt. Ernie S. Hanes, in the Normandy invasion. She served as part of General Eisenhower’s SHAEF Headquarters staff in Frankfurt, Germany.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry “Pete” Nichols in 2008, after 57 years of happy marriage. After their retirement, both traveled extensively throughout the world with their sons and grandchildren.

Mrs. Nichols is survived by her sons, John Woody Nichols and Henry “Hank” Nichols; her four grandchildren, John Nichols, Jennifer McMurray, William Nichols and Renee Nichols; her niece, Linda Leitner; as well as other extended family members.

She will be remembered for her confidence and strong sense of self, her humor, her love of connecting with others and her many incredible accomplishments during a wonderful and fulfilling life of 93 years. She will be missed by her family and friends.