Geraldine Nichols

To Geraldine Nichols, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, she was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around her, she seemed to be eternally happy, and she willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Geraldine, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, she could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Geraldine really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Geraldine was born on November 19, 1925 at home in Oxford, Nova Scotia. Her parents were Ernest and Mary Miller. Geraldine was raised in Oxford, Nova Scotia and moved to Whitby, Ontario. Even as a child, Geraldine had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her. She was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. She couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. She was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, she succeeded in entertaining her entire family.

Always a good playmate, Geraldine was easygoing and fun loving. She managed to lighten the mood wherever she was, even during family squabbles. She seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Geraldine managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Geraldine was the youngest of eight siblings, Helen, Ola, Nell, Ivy, Garnett, Elisha, Tom and Layton.

All of Geraldine's playful good humor carried over into her childhood. She was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed her to be constantly on the go. As a result, Geraldine experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited her very well. She took part in baseball with friends and family and in her spare time she liked playing in the river. Geraldine's memorable achievements included making cornbread for Grampa Welts.

Geraldine never actually encountered a stranger in her dealings with people. She was drawn to individuals and crowds, using her gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate her audience. This quality allowed Geraldine to continually develop new relationships, ever widening her circle of friends. Geraldine delighted in her role among all her acquaintances, because she viewed them all as potential spectators for her performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Geraldine was always right at home putting on a show among her friends. Geraldine utilized her interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, her best friends were mostly family - brothers, sisters and cousins Stella Moore and Daisy Dobson. Later in life, she became friends with Lill Flood and Jody Trelford. Geraldine loved sharing life and having her home filled with people she knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Geraldine very easy to approach. On November 21, 1942 Geraldine exchanged wedding vows with Ralph Patterson Nichols at Pastor Esterbrooks House Parsonage in Oxford, Nova Scotia. She tried hard not to impose on her spouse. She was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason Geraldine related so well to children was the fact that she never really completely grew up herself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped her in raising her own children. Geraldine was blessed with four children, Pat, Ginny, Nancy and Steve and a special niece Janice. They were also blessed with twelve grandchildren - Kim, Sam, Darrin, Lindy, Kelly, Randy, Stephanie, Shannon, Kathy, Michele, Jo-Anne and Nancy and many great grandchildren and a few great great grandchildren. Geraldine had the ability to focus her attention on the present moment. If she was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of her attention was directed. Geraldine's compassionate side prevented her from being a strict disciplinarian, and she could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. She could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Geraldine had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Geraldine was a real “people person.” Geraldine's main priority was her family, she was a stay at home mom and homemaker. As a young woman she worked in the Woolen Mill and waitressed a bit in Ontario but Geraldine's main occupation was taking care of her family. She had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and her enthusiasm and energy was often contagious.

Geraldine enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Geraldine liked creating and making things. Her favourite pursuits were Bingo, socializing and making Jello desserts.

Geraldine was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favourite events whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were baseball and hockey - mostly watching her great grandsons play.

A generous person who often wore her heart on her sleeve, Geraldine often found herself involved in activities she deemed important. She was charitable, kind and giving, qualities that made her a natural volunteer. Outspoken in her beliefs, yet tactful in her dealings with others, Geraldine was a member of several community groups and a volunteered at Sunnycrest Nursing home. Politically, she was a supporter of the New Democrat Party and would actively canvass.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Geraldine recognized that her faith was important to her. She was a Christian all her life and loved singing hymns.

It is no surprise that she loved to travel and to visit new and different places. She was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. Favourite vacations included fall visits to the Exhibition in Oxford, Nova Scotia.

Geraldine was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. One of Geraldine's favourite pets growing up was a dog named Chum. They were best friends for many years.

In her later years, she found new pleasure in reading, shopping and looking after Dad when he was ill at Sunnycrest Nursing Home. Geraldine continued to stay in touch with her old friends and, since she'd never met a stranger, she made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

Geraldine passed away on August 16, 2016 at Sunnycrest Nursing Home in Whitby, Ontario from Pneumonia. She is survived by daughters Pat Perry and Ginny McIvor, her many grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren. Services were held at Oshawa Funeral Home. Geraldine was laid to rest in Groveside Cemetery in Brooklin, Ontario beside her loving husband Ralph.

Geraldine brought joy to all of those around her. She never had a mean bone in her body. She loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and her zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. Geraldine Nichols lived life to its fullest and made everyone around her happier just for knowing her. She will be remembered with a smile.

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NICHOLS, Geraldine

Nov 19th, 1925 – Aug 16th, 2016

Passed away peacefully in her sleep on Tuesday, August 16th, 2016 at the age of 90. Predeceased by her loving husband Ralph “Bus” Nichols. Dedicated mother to Pat Perry (Laurie), Steve Nichols (predeceased), Ginny McIvor, Nancy Kearnan (predeceased) and Janice McGreevy (predeceased). She will be sadly missed by all her grandchildren, great- grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren and many close friends. A special thanks to all her caregivers that were like her family at Sunnycrest Nursing Home. Geraldine will always be remembered for her big smile and generous kind heart. Visitation will take place at OSHAWA FUNERAL HOME, 847 King Street West (905-721-1234) on Thursday, August 18th from 2 – 4 and 7 – 9 p.m. Funeral Service will be held in the Chapel on Friday, August 19th at 11:00 a.m. Interment at Groveside Cemetery. Donations gratefully accepted to the Canadian Diabetes Association.