Nikkel, Abraham R. (1887-1952)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary:1953 Jan 1 p. 9

Birth date: 1887 Dec 14

text of obituary:

ABRAHAM R. NIKKEL

Abraham R. Nikkel, son of Henry and Eva (Ratzlaff) Nikkel, was born December 14, 1887, in McPherson county, Kansas. He departed this life at the Bethel Deaconess hospital on December 13, 1952, at 4:43 in the morning, having reached the age of 65 years, less one day. He had been looking forward to the observance of his 65th birthday for some time, but this was not granted him here.

With his parents he spent his childhood days on the farm in McPherson county. He attended the district school at Sparta, and after completing the district school work, he also attended the Hoffnungsau Vereins-Schule.

On June 16, 1907, he was baptized upon his confession of faith in Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour by Rev. Abraham Ratzlaff, and united with the Hoffnungsau Mennonite church, of which he was a faithful member the remaining days of his life. He attended whenever he could, and was ready to help where he could. On the board of trustees of the church he served for some years, serving five years as chairman of this Board. This was the time when the former church building was being remodeled, when a great deal of time was required for the work of the board; he enjoyed this work greatly. In church and community affairs he took an active interest, and was always willing and ready to help when help was needed.

On November 7, 1914, he was united in marriage with Sara Dyck, with whom he was privileged to share the joys and sorrows of married life for 38 years. To this union were born six children, one of whom; Bertha Pearl, preceded him in death as an infant of eight weeks in 1927. The children living are Edna, Harold, Homer, Oletha, and Norman. There are also eleven grandchildren, who were always a great joy to him. He was a loving and a praying father in the home, and one of whom the children say: “He left us a great example.” For Oletha, who has been an invalid for 25 years, he was willing to give everything to provide the needed care and treatment; she will miss him greatly, for she seemed so well contented when he was with her.

He was always robust and strong and enjoyed good health; he had spent hardly a day in bed because of illness, until a few years ago when he had a bad fall. This injury led to other complications, which recently made surgery necessary. But this too seemed to have proven successful, and he recovered to the point where he could go home to be with the family during the Thanksgiving season. He had been at home nearly three weeks, when some circulatory complications set in.

On Tuesday morning of last week he had a severe attack, which led to re-hospitalization. After having been in the hospital for a few days he seemed again much improved, but it all seemed to point to something more serious in the future. He, too, seemed to have had some premonition that the end was approaching, for he wanted his children called, for "what had happened might come again," he said. Almost without further warning death came very suddenly on Saturday morning, Dec. 13, a short while before 5 o’clock, when he passed quietly to be with his Lord.

He was one who loved music, especially sacred music, and when last Sunday the quartet among other numbers sang "No, Never Alone" he appreciated that greatly and spoke of it frequently afterwards.

He was fully submitted to the will of the Lord. Following the severe attack which he had at home, which came so suddenly and unexpectedly, and which was such a severe shock for his wife she said to him, “But you cannot leave us alone here." To this he quietly replied, “This is the Lord’s doing."

He leaves to mourn his departure his bereaved wife, Sara; two daughters, Edna, Mrs. Wilbur Schmidt, and family of Buhler, and Oletha of the home; three sons, Harold, who with his wife Fern and their children live at Holly, Colorado, Homer, who with his wife Wilma and their three sons live near Inman; and Norman, who with his wife Margie and their children live in Wichita. There are eleven grandchildren. Besides, there are three sisters and one brother: Katharine, Mrs. John Unruh and family, of McPherson; Eva, Mrs. John Wall and family, of McPherson; Anna, Mrs. John C. Voth, and family, of Inman; and Henry and family, of Moundridge. There is also a large number of nieces and nephews, of whom he was always very fond; a number of brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, and many other relatives and a host of friends. — The bereaved family.