Genevieve "Genie" Nichols

Genevieve Mae (Livengood) Nichols was born in Walla Walla, WA on April 28, 1930 to George and Mae (Hamon) Livengood. She was the second of six daughters. The Livengood sisters maintained an unusually close and enduring loving bond.

Genie grew up in Walla Walla. Her father owned a furniture store and a popular hamburger drive-in. Later he supported the family buying and fixing up houses. Although they moved many times, the cornerstone of every Livengood home was their common faith. When it came to family chores, she always preferred the outdoors, and helped with the garden, milking and haying.

After high school, Genie planned to be an auditor, a good career which would allow her to travel the world. She enrolled at Whitman College. But during a summer break, she came to Portland, OR to visit her older sister Shirley. There she met Edith MacDonald (Plews) and Sylvia Green (Bone). Both were going into nursing and convinced her to join them. Knowing little about nursing, she took the entrance exams and passed with flying colors. When she told her folks she would be pursuing nursing, they expressed concern about the sudden switch. Later, they were very grateful to have a nurse in the family.

While at Emanuel Hospital Nursing School Genie met Harold “Hal” Nichols of Salem, OR. They were married in 1953 on October 31st before Hal left for military service in Hawaii during the Korean War. He served as a medic at Tripler Army Medical Center. Genie worked at the Kapiolani Medical Center for Women while they were there.

Upon completion of Hal’s military service, they moved to Corvallis, OR, where he pursued engineering at Oregon State University. She helped support them, working at the local hospital for four years. They then moved to Sherwood Oregon, where they built a home and raised three children: Curt, Dan, and Nancy.

Genie was ahead of her times. She was into recycling, and doing organic gardening, and even became a “Master Gardener”. Often adventurous in cooking, Genie was even game to try venison, duck, and chukkar. She also enjoyed various arts and crafts projects.

In retirement Hal and Genie built their dream home in Sisters, OR, spending 15 years there before downsizing to a home in Eagle Crest, outside Redmond, OR. Four years ago they moved back to the valley to Sublimity, OR to be closer to their children. And, in this last year, they moved back to Sherwood, to The Springs, which is where Genie took her final breath on Monday, July 4th.

She is preceded in death by her parents, older sister Shirley Green, and twins, Lela VanNortwick and Lola Berglin. She is survived by her husband, Hal, as well as younger sisters Bernadine Berglin of Walla Walla, WA and Sandi Scholl (and Don) of Mt Vernon, WA. She is also survived by her children: Curt (& Rhonda) Nichols, Dan (& Kathryn) Nichols, and Nancy (& Chuck) Maichel, and four grandchildren: David, Laura, Carmella, and Marlena Nichols.

Genie will be remembered for her selflessness and spirit of thankfulness. Genie’s home was always open and visitors greeted with her warm, welcoming smile. Her life and kind spirit touched many, and she leaves a grateful extended family, and many friends and neighbors who knew and loved her.