Nickel, Jacob W. (1912-1983)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1983 Nov 24 p. 8

Birth date: 1912 Mar 5

text of obituary:

NEWTON & VICINITY

J. W. Nickel, 71, a retired minister and professor at Bethel College and Friends University, died Nov. 18 at Halstead Hospital. Services took place Nov. 21 at the Lorraine Avenue Mennonite Church, Wichita. He was married to Frieda Unger in 1941. She survives, along with two sons, two daughters, three brothers, two sisters and six grandchildren.

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Newton Kansan obituary: 1983 Nov 21 p. ?

text of obituary:

Dr. J. W. Nickel

WICHITA—Dr. J. W. Nickel, 71, a retired minister and professor at Bethel College in North Newton and Friends University in Wichita, died Friday (Nov. 18, 1983) at Halstead Hospital.

Graveside services were at 4 p. m. today at Lorraine Avenue Mennonite Church Cemetery in Wichita. The Rev. Melvin Schmidt officiated. A memorial service will be at 7:30 p. m. today at Lorraine Avenue Mennonite Church, of which he was a member.

He was born March 5, 1912, in Russia. He married Frieda Unger Oct. 29, 1941. She survives of the home.

Other survivors include two sons, two daughters, three brothers, two sister and six grandchildren.

The family suggests memorials to Kaufman Museum in care of Bethel College, North Newton.

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Mennonite Reporter obituary: 1984 Jan 9 p. ?

text of obituary:

Profile: Jacob W. Nickel

Wichita, Kans.—Jacob W. Nickel, a widely-known and energetic Mennonite educator and minister, died here on November 18 after a short struggle with cancer of the liver. Although most recently a teacher at Bethel College in Newton, Kansas, Nickel had a varied and far-flung career which began on his father's farm in Saskatchewan. He was the son of Elder J. J. Nickel of Langham, Sask.

Despite the hardships of the Depression and pioneering years on the prairies, he managed to secure a high school and university education. Along the way he ministered to Mennonite young men in conscientious objector camps in Canada and represented Mennonite Central Committee in South America in the late 1940s.

He was an occasionally controversial figure who criticized MCC for what he felt was inadequate assistance for Mennonite refugees in South America. His brother, Arthur Nickel, commented that "his energetic and dedicated efforts were not always conducive to maintaining harmony with colleagues and government officials, but he always acted on his convictions, with the welfare of others in mind."

In his memory, a "J. W. Nickel Memorial Fund" has been established at the Kauffman Museum at Bethel College.