Nickel, Peter David (1883-1979)

Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 1979 Apr 27 p. 35

Birth date: 1883 Jan 09

text of obituary:

PETER DAVID NICKEL

Peter David Nickel of Chilliwack, B.C. passed away on February 12 at the age of 96 years. He was born on January 9, 1883 to David and Katherine (nee Wiebe) Nickel in Osterwick, Russia. In 1888 his family moved to the Ignatyev settlement, village 5, where he received his schooling. In 1905 he married Elizabeth Wiebe in Rostow. Together they had seven children, two of whom died in infancy. They moved to Siberia in 1909, to Markowa, the district of Barnaul, Slawgorod. There both accepted Christ and joined the Mennonite Brethren Church. During the 1914 war, he was drafted for military service, first stationed at Tomsk, Omsk, in Petropawlosk, then transferred with 45 others to the Himalayan Mountains near the Indian border. He was released in 1918 and returned home sick and tired. The family immigrated to Canada in 1929 and settled first in Aberdeen, Sask., then in Coaldale, Alta. His wife died in Coaldale in 1944. He spent most of his remaining years in Chilliwack. Last fall he moved into the Tabor Home in Clearbrook, B.C. He is survived by four sons, Henry of Tabor, Peter of Pincher Creek, John of Lethbridge and Jake of Tofield (all of Alta.), 20 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. The funeral was held in the Broadway Mennonite Brethren Church in Chilliwack with pastors John E. Friesen and H. Lenzmann officiating.