Lois M. Nicholas, 80, Oconto Falls, went to be with her Lord and Savior Sunday evening, July 26, 2015, at The Cottages, following a struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. The youngest of five children was born Oct. 17, 1934, in Mosling to Godfrey and Martha (Koske) Carlson.
Lois grew up on the family farm in the town of Gillett and attended Gillett Public Schools, graduating valedictorian of the Class of 1952. Following high school graduation, she attended Badger Business School and was employed at Warren Insurance and the Brown County Register of Deeds Office.
While attending a polka dance at the Oconto County Fair in Gillett, she met Leland “Penny” Nicholas, and on June 1, 1957, the couple married. The couple have lived in Oconto Falls for all their married lives and raised five children.
Lois was a very loving and devoted wife, mother and grandma. She worked as an Avon representative in the Oconto Falls area and was employed by Community Memorial Hospital for over 20 years and later worked at the WIC office in Oconto.
Lois was an active member of Grace Lutheran Church in Oconto Falls where she taught Sunday school, VBS, sang in the choir, helped serve funeral dinners and volunteered in numerous ways.
She enjoyed sewing, knitting, crocheting, dancing, cooking and baking, as well as tending her large vegetable and flower gardens. She especially enjoyed long walks and time spent with her husband.
Lois also belonged to the Legion Auxiliary, the Lois Club, Green Bay Squares square dancing club, the Oconto County Homemakers and the Order of the Eastern Star.
Lois will be fondly remembered as a loving and caring person, instilling in her family the values of faith, hard work, honesty and treating all people with dignity and respect.
Survivors are her loving and devoted husband of 58 years, Leland “Penny” Nicholas, Oconto Falls, their five children and their families, Jilayne (Mark) Robinson and their sons, Noah and Isaiah, Lynette (Tim) DeRuyter and their sons, Josh, Andy and Sam, all of De Pere; Carlyn (Ned) Haas and their sons, Chas, Evan and Joel, Sobieski; Perron (wife Mary Lauten) Nicholas, Madison; Torren Nicholas, Sheboygan; two brothers, Everett (Joan) Carlson, Ray (Lenea) Carlson, all of Gillett; four sisters-in-law, Veronica Carlson, Gillett; Dawn Huebscher, Oconto; Laverne Giese, Green Bay; Sylvia (Lowell “Buzz”) Kamke, Oconto Falls; one brother-in-law, Hank Jorgensen, California; many nieces, nephews and many good friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; one sister, June Carlson; one brother Fredrick “Fritz” Carlson; three brothers-in-law, Harold Huebscher, Elmer Giese and Orville Hass; and one sister-in-law, Dona Hass-Jorgensen.
Visitation will be held after 3 p.m. Friday, July 31, at Grace Lutheran Church in Oconto Falls until the time of the service. Funeral services will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the church with Pastor Carole Neitzel officiating. Burial will take place in Woodlawn Cemetery, Oconto Falls.
Jones Funeral Service in Oconto Falls is serving the Nicholas family.
The Nicholas family would like to thank the nurses and staffs of The Cottages and Heartland Hospice for the exceptional care and compassion shown Lois during their time together.
