Lois M. Nichols

Lois Marian Nichols, a life-long resident of the Plateau Valley area, passed away on February 7, 2015. Lois was born to Thomas Hartley and Katherine (Pitts) Phillips on July 17, 1928. She grew up in the Collbran area, attended the Collbran Congregational Church, was active in Rainbow Girls, and graduated valedictorian from Collbran Union High School in 1946.

On January 11, 1948, Lois married Benjamin E. Nichols, her high school sweetheart, and following his completion of a Veterinary Medicine degree in Fort Collins, they purchased a ranch on Big Creek and set up a large and small animal veterinary practice. She was the classic hardworking ranch wife, she loved to cook for her family and friends and spent the falls canning, often from her garden and filling her cellar. She was a member of Eastern Star and Rebeccas. She worked side by side with her veterinarian husband as his assistant. Ben and Lois were blessed with seven children, 19 grandchildren, and 36 great-grandchildren. She was devoted to her family.

She is survived by her husband of 67 years, Dr. Ben Nichols, her son Benjamin Jr. (April) Nichols, and daughters: Ellen (Jim) Lancaster;

Susan (Michael) Prescott; Joann (Matt) Robinson; Judy (Brad) Tutor; Janet (Hal) Kime; and Anita (Bill) Curry; her brother Joe Phillips and sister Amy Phillips. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Ilda Anderson, four brothers Thomas D. Phillips, John Phillips and two infants.

Services will be held February 14th at 12:00 noon in the Chapel at Martin Mortuary in Grand Junction and at 3:00 p.m. at the Molina Baptist Church in Molina followed by burial at the Mesa Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, 10900-B Stonelake Blvd Suite 320, Austin, Tx. 78759