Mary Nichols, age 84 of Glenwood, died Monday, August 10, 2009 at the Good Samaritain
Center, Lakeview in Glenwood. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 P.M. Friday,
August 14, 2009 at the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Glenwood. Visitation will be
from 5:00 - 8:00 P.M. on Thursday at the funeral home and will continue one hour prior to
the service. Inurnment will be Saturday, August 15th at 1:00 P.M. in the Amo Methodist
Cemetery in Cottonwood County, Minnesota. Arrangements are with Hoplin-Hitchcock
Funeral Home in Glenwood. Mary Elizabeth Nichols, the daughter of John and Edith
(McConnell) Christensen was born March 21, 1925 in Storden, Minnesota. She attended
school in Bingham Lake, Minnesota where she graduated from high school. She then
attended welding school in Winona, MN. Following completion of this course, Mary was a
ship welder from July 1943 to May 1945 at the L.D. Smith Shipyards in Sturgeon Bay, WI.
She tried cherry picking in Door County, Wisconsin, but did not like it as much as welding.
On June 15, 1947, Mary was united in marriage to Wilbur Nichols in Delton Township,
Cottonwood County, Minnesota. This marriage was blessed with six children. Mary and
Wilbur farmed for many years. They began farming in Amo Township until 1956, when
they moved to the DeGraff area. 1962, Mary and Wilbur moved and continued farming
near Sunburg, Minnesota. In 1993, they retired and purchased a farm near Grove Lake.
Mary and Wilbur shared 52 years of marriage before Wilbur passed away on November
17, 1999. Mary was a member of the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Glenwood.
She enjoyed gardening, crossword puzzles, reading, and watching Walt Disney and
animal movies. She loved her horse from her younger years, Dolly, and her dogs. She
was a great cook and always astounded her family and friends with her famous oneliners.
She especially loved spending time with and playing Boggle with her children and
grandchildren. Mary is survived by her daughters, Beverly (Dwayne) Kuhlman of Logan,
Iowa, Patricia (Michael) Harvey of Prior Lake, Minnesota, Marjory (Allen) Anderson of
Kerkhoven, Minnesota, and Linda (Patrick) Duscher of Hawick, Minnesota; sons, Charles
(Janice) Nichols of Grove City, Minnesota, and Dean (Linda) Nichols of Kerkhoven,
Minnesota; 19 grandchildren, Janai Wagner, Michael Jon (Erin) Harvey, Shane Harvey,
Jason (Lindsey) Nichols, Wade (Melissa) Nichols, Austin (Tammy) Nichols, Theresa
Nichols, Lucas Nichols, Cameo Nichols, Shawn (Beth) Anderson, Candice (Mike) Olson,
Matthew (Nancy) Anderson, Sheila Duscher, Douglas (Teresa) Duscher, Amanda (fiancé
Peter) Duscher, Thomas Duscher, Kayla Nichols, Kalina Nichols and Katrina Nichols; 17
great-grandchildren, Caitlin, Halie, Noah, Josiah, Elijah, Elianna, Holden, Morgan, Lauren,
Carter, Brianna, Addie, Lily, Michael Jon Jr., Gabriel, Alexis and Colin; one sister, Irene
(Bernie) Montgomery; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Mary was preceded in
death by her parents; husband, Wilbur; brothers, Oscar and Johnny; and a sister, Pearl C. Gramentz.