Jeanne Ellen Nichols

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear mom, Jeanne Ellen Nichols (Gordash). The youngest child of Katherina and Dmytro Gordash, she was born in Darling Alberta, November 26, 1925. Upon completing high school in Kamloops BC, she returned to Edmonton and found employment with the local Ukrainian newspaper. In 1943, the ongoing war and her fearlessness took her to Toronto with the understanding that her eldest sister, who was living there, would keep an eye on her. She took a job in an Ajax munitions factory during the day and worked as a coat check girl at Massey Hall in the evenings. She met a variety of personalities of the day, including the great Oscar Peterson. During this period, Mom acquired a Royal Enfield motorcycle and enjoyed endless miles touring throughout southern Ontario. It was in Ontario where mom discovered the thrill of the open road that led to her later enjoyment of a variety of exotic, fast and fun vehicles. At war's end, she returned to Edmonton and on January 29, 1949 she committed to marriage with her love, William George Nichols. He had completed his tour of duty overseas with the RCAF, earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree at the U of A and acquired his CA designation. His career demanded a move to Calgary where one year later, their first child, William Danks Nichols was born. Fours later she completed the family with the arrival of her beloved twins Ronald Grant and Robert Gary Nichols. In the 1960’s, she took a job with the Calgary Herald where, for many years, she managed the Classified Ads department, a job she loved and excelled at. In the late 70’s, mom and dad moved to Tripoli Libya where they lived for 8 years. She was forever engaging the people and absorbing the culture, learning to speak the language and making friends with all whom she encountered. She started both a bowling league and Cub Scout pack for local Libyan children. Upon returning to Calgary in the late 1980’s, mom again went to work, this time with Mappins Jewelers where her personality and love of jewelry were the perfect match. After losing her husband to a stroke in 2000, she retired from formal work and moved to Sylvan Lake. Her final years were spent tending her garden, cooking her own meals, mowing her own lawn, shoveling her own walks and living her usual independent, proud life. She is loved by many and will be missed by so many more. Jeanne was predeceased by her husband Bill, her middle son Rob and her brother John Gordash. She is survived by her sons, Bill and Ron, and was the proud grandmother to Lt. William Geoffrey Nichols (RCAF) of Kingston. She also has two surviving sisters, Marci Gordash (99yrs) in Victoria and Stevie Yachimec (104yrs) in Toronto. Moms very specific final wishes were, she wanted no fuss, no services, no tears. She will be cremated and join her husband and son in her home province of Alberta. God speed mama!