Nickel, William T. (1877-1953)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1953 Mar 5 p. 9

Birth date: 1877 Jun 27

text of obituary:

WILLIAM T. NICKEL

William T. Nickel was born on June 27, 1877 at Rudnerweide, South Russia. His parents were Elder Theodore and Anna Nickel. He came to America in 1878 with his parents, who settled on a farm five miles southeast of Mountain Lake, Minnesota. For several years he attended a country school, then a Bible School in the home of the teacher, Rev. John Becker. He also attended the public school when Isaac Bargen was the teacher.

Upon his confession of faith in Jesus Christ as personal Saviour he was baptized in 1899, on Pentecost by Rev. Heinrich Quiring and thus became a member of the Bergfelder, now the Gospel Mennonite Church, On February 11, 1953, at about 10:45 he peacefully passed on into the presence of the Lord. He attained the age of 75 years, 7 months and 14 days.

He was united in marriage to Maria Friesen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Friesen, on November 11, 1902. On November 11, 1927 they observed their 25th wedding anniversary. They shared life’s joys and sorrows 31 years, 8 months and 21 days. His beloved wife preceded him in death on September 1, 1933. To their union were born 12 children, of whom four preceded them in death, namely, William at the age of 16, Anna at the age of 6, and two in infancy.

They moved to a farm 7 miles northwest of Mountain Lake, on which father lived over 43 years. In September, 1945, he bought a home in Mountain Lake to which he moved and resided there until he entered the Home for the Aged. During his life he was active in many ways as farmer and thresher. He also served for a number of years on township boards, school boards, church boards and on the Bible school board. He enjoyed especially the work in the church as Sunday School superintendent of the Emmanuel and Bergfelder churches and later as Sunday School teacher in the Gospel Mennonite church as long as his health permitted. He also took an active interest in the new church building a few years ago and earnestly desired to see it finished. This privilege was granted to him.

In 1948 he suffered a light stroke, followed by several more strokes which eventually brought on his death on Feb. 11. He quietly went to be with the Lord and thus a very active life here upon earth was ended. A few days before Christmas, 1952 he was taken to the local hospital. On December 24 he was taken home to spend Christmas with the family, which he enjoyed very much. On January 21, 1953 he was taken to the Home for the Aged where he spent the last three weeks of his life.

He leaves to mourn his passing eight children: Marie, Peter, Elizabeth, Theodore, Jacob, Abram, David, and John. Elizabeth is at present at Auke Bay, Alaska, and David lives at Storden, Minnesota. The rest all live at Mountain Lake. He also leaves six daughters-in-law. Thirteen grandchildren were born, of whom one preceded him in death. Four brothers are also mourning his death, namely, David, Henry, Abraham, and George, besides two brothers-in-law, and six sisters-in-law. Two brothers, two sisters, two half-brothers and one half-sister preceded him into the beyond. Also surviving are a host of relatives and friends.