Nichol, Helen Warkentin (1918-1973)

Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 1973 Nov 02 p. 30

Birth date: 1918 Jun 23

text of obituary:

HELEN NICHOL

Mrs. Helen Nichol was born June 23, 1918 in the village of Lichtenau, Russia, the only child born to George and Helen Warkentin. In her infancy Helen was stricken with polio which left her with a deformed foot and an affected arm. This quickened her heart to respond eagerly to the needs of others. In her early teens she accepted the Lord as her Savious and learned to love and trust him.

In 1925 Helen and her mother came to Canada and settled near Portage la Prairie, Man. At the age of 18 she began her teaching career, and taught, interrupted only by two years, till the day of her diagnostic surgery. Instructing beginners was her labour of love.

On June 16, 1946 Helen married Henry Albert Nichol and in the same year moved to Greendale, B.C. Here she requested baptism by immersion and was received into the Greendale Church. Here too the Lord blessed their marriage with the birth of an only child, Evelyn Gwen. In 1965 the family moved to Wells St. in Chilliwack.

After the seriousness of her illness became clear, the Lord gave her five beautiful months with her family. During this time God's Word became very precious to her as she searched out its many treasures. During her stay in the hospital her testimony was: " I've got two homes, if I get well-Wells Street-if I don't, I go to the wells of living water." On August 12 she was granted an earnest desire, to see and hold her first grandchild, Karen Dianne. On September 12, the Lord took her gently home. She is survived by her husband, Henry Nichol; one daughter, Evelyn Gwen, son-in-law Walter Driediger and granddaughter Karen; and two half-sisters, (Mrs.) Tina Wiens in Paraguay and Margaret Penner in Russia.