Barbara Jane Nichols, 89, passed away on January 25, 2019 in Oklahoma City. She was born in Oklahoma City on December 10, 1929 to Benjamin Logan Davis and Gladys Newell Davis. Benjamin was from Illinois. Gladys was from Texas.
Barbara grew up in the Oklahoma City area, graduating from Midwest City High School in 1947. The following fall she was living in a boarding house in Oklahoma City and working for the telephone company, when she met Gene Nichols, a 22-year-old WWII Navy veteran and fellow resident of the boarding house. They were married in January 1948.
Thus began a very happy marriage of 68 years. Barbara and Gene lived in Oklahoma City until the fall of 1948, when Gene started at Oklahoma A&M. Their first son, Gary, was born there in 1949, and their second son, Marc, was also born in Stillwater simultaneously with Gene’s graduation in August, 1951.
Gene then joined the telephone company as an executive trainee in Oklahoma City. Their third son, Danny, was born in 1953 at Gene’s first field assignment in Anadarko, OK. Gene and Barbara then went on to assignments in Ardmore, Oklahoma City, St. Louis and back in Oklahoma City.
During this period Barbara and Gene were busy raising their boys and engaging in various related activities. They were very active in church, scouting and the boys’ school, sports and other pursuits.
Barbara was an enthusiastic and very capable seamstress, and passed this avocation along to succeeding generations. She was also an accomplished quilter and interior decorator. She was always interested in current affairs, and in later life became very interested in history, spending the last couple of hours of her day reading books on history and biography.
Barbara and Gene began a new adventure in 1969 when they bought a ranch east of Tecumseh, OK. Together they developed the ranch into a beautiful property, from which she and Gene derived tremendous enjoyment over the succeeding 47 years. The ranch was also the site of many happy family gatherings.
Gene passed away on December 4, 2016 at the age of 91.
Barbara is survived by sons, Gary and his wife Joanne, Marc, Danny and his wife Karen, grandchildren Jeremy, Savanna and husband Chase Means, Benjamin and great-granddaughter Sylvie Means. Memorial Services will be 11:00 a.m., Friday, February 1st at Hahn-Cook/Street & Draper.
