Daniel (Dan) Edward Nichols was born on December 16, 1951,
in Kansas City, Missouri. Dan was the oldest of his siblings, Michael, Russell,
and Star.
Dan joined the Navy in January 1970, where he served as an
HT3-Hull Technician, Third Class. He did welding and maintenance on the USS
Samuel Gompers until his honorable discharge in January 1976.
Dan had a career at Rocky Flats and had many job titles,
starting out as a janitor and worked his way up to becoming a health and safety
physicist in Denver, Colorado, in 1974, until his retirement in 1995. After
retirement, he worked as a local truck driver pulling a reefer. Dan also worked
for the State of Nebraska, where he held many roles including rest area
maintenance, snow plow driver, and was a member of the road crew.
On November 21, 1987, he was united in marriage to
Marguerite WandaLee (Susan) Howard. To this union came 2 children, Daniel
Edward Nichols II in 1989, and Kristin Marie Nichols in 1992. Dan was a loving
father to their two children and loving husband to his wife, Susan. Together
they made many memories and enjoyed vacations at Glenwood Springs and Mount
Rushmore. They resided in Thornton, Colorado, and Sidney, Nebraska, before
their final move to Newton, Kansas, in 2008.
Dan loved the Lord and faithfully served Him. He was a
member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after being baptized
with his wife on September 17, 1995, in Sidney, Nebraska. He served as an elder
and received his temple recommend and endowment at the Kansas City Missouri
Temple, with the help of his daughter Kristin, in 2014. He baptized his
daughter-in-law, Emily, at the Bear Creek Ward in Denver, Colorado in 2020. His
last calling was building representative. He cleaned the church every week and
made sure that it was maintained properly, until his diagnosis of cancer in
2022.
Dan loved his children and grandchildren with all his heart.
His children often turned to him for advice, and they say that he gave the best
hugs. He always encouraged his children to read their scriptures, pray, and ask
Heavenly Father when in need of help or comfort or when in pain and sorrow.
Dan departed this life on May 1, 2022, surrounded by family.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Susan, and his sister, Star.
He leaves to cherish his memory: his son, Daniel Nichols
(Emily) of Winfield, Kansas; daughter, Kristin Ludwig (Kyler) of Ceder Hills,
Utah; two brothers, Russell Nichols (Debbie) and Michael Nichols, both of
Denver, Colorado; five grandchildren: Nathanial, Tsar, Shah, Reina, and
Chancellor; nieces, nephews, and a host of other relatives, friends, and fellow
members of the Newton ward.
A celebration of life will be at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, May
7th, 2022, at the LDS Church in Newton, Kansas.
