Donald Eugene Nichols

"Donald Eugene Nichols went on the big fishing trip in heaven August 7, 2023. He was born June 27th 1931 in Canyon City, Colorado. After his mom died when he was three years old, he was raised by his grandma Van Meter along with his three siblings and three cousins in Lake George, Colorado

He often told stories of her chasing him around their teepee and hatching banty chicks in the warming oven of her wood stove, and his grandpa only speaking German. When he was five years old, his dad came and moved the four of his children to Florissant where they lived until he enlisted in the army.

Don enlisted January 6, 1949, and went to Korea right after basic training, and turned eighteen on the front lines. He was honorably discharged June 6, 1952, from Fort Carson. Don (older than granite) met Shirley Knapp (a spring chicken) in 1956 when she graduated high school, and they were married after she graduated college in Colorado Springs on August 14, 1957. He worked in construction as a heavy equipment operator and owned a construction company, but also worked ranching, mining, prospecting, taxidermy, and his passion- raising rainbow trout. He was a member of the Operating Engineers #9 Union until he started his own construction company. He recorded an album in Nashville and loved playing and singing country music. Johnny Cash and Hank Williams were his favorites.

He was the best grandpa/hankpa/pawpaw/crappa/grandpappy/garfa in the whole world and loved Grandma Shirley, his four children, ten grandchildren, fifteen great-grandchildren (and counting)

Don is survived by his wife of 66 years, his son Daniel (Danny), and daughters, Penny Lloyd (Erik), Melanie Clark and Cyndi Nichols, ten grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren, a brother Greg and numerous nieces and nephews.