Lajean Marie Nichols

LaJean Marie Nichols, 72, of Grand Island passed away Sunday July 14, 2019 at CHI St. Francis in Grand Island. Memorial service will be 10 AM Saturday July 20, 2019 at St. Pauls Lutheran Church with Pastor Ed Shambach officiating. A burial will follow at Grand Island City Cemetery. Visitation will be 5-7 PM Friday July 19, 2019 at Apfel Funeral Home. Memorials are suggested to the Lupus Foundation of America.

She was born on January 27, 1947 in Norfolk, NE to Martin F. and Mildred (Huddle) McGill. She grew up in Madison, NE and received her education at Madison High School and at St. Joseph’s School of Nursing in Omaha graduating in 1968.

She was united in marriage to her high school sweetheart Michael Robert Nichols on August 23, 1969 in Madison, NE. The couple lived in Crete, NE for a year while Mike finished his education degree at Doane College and LaJean worked as a registered nurse at Crete Memorial Hospital. They moved to Grand Island in 1970 for Mike’s first teaching position and LaJean took a position as a registered nurse at St. Francis, a position she held for over 30 years. Most of her nursing career was spent in Home Health Care, and the last several years, she served a department manager.

LaJean was an avid and gifted quilter and also enjoyed reading and cooking. She had an amazing ability to pull off a large meal, even on short notice, and make it elegant and delicious. In particular, her Christmas Eve meal was a family favorite. She loved to travel, and in addition to visiting many places in the continental US, she and Mike visited Ireland, Germany, and Austria after retirement. Her favorite pastime, however, was spending time with her five grandkids. Much of her past six years were spent between Ida Grove, IA, Elkhorn, NE, and Geneva, NE attending their activities and watching them grow. She was an amazing grandma, mother, wife, and friend to all who knew her.

Survivors include husband, Mike Nichols of Grand Island; son, Chris (Jaci) Nichols of Geneva and their children Garrett, Abby, and Ali; daughter, Susie (Jim) Engebretson of Elkhorn and their children Ellie and David; and sister, Lois Peterson of Madison.

She was preceded in death by her parents and infant granddaughter Alexa Ann Nichols.