Adah Estelle Nickels

Adah (Peggy) Nickels, age 101—her spirit free from earthly constraints—returned home to her Lord at noon on her birthday, September 13, 2024.  A woman of diminutive stature but abundant heart, she was devoted to her family and nurtured them with courage and perseverance. Inherently nonjudgmental and open-minded, Adah continually adapted her worldview to embrace and encourage her offspring wherever their journeys took them. She was a devoted lifelong caregiver to her disabled son Jim. Born into Depression-era hardship at the end of her parents’ marriage, Adah—the youngest of twelve—was raised apart from her siblings on a remote farm in Montcalm County by her caring but pragmatic grandparents: her maternal grandmother, Della Mary (Gerard) Jacobsen and step-grandfather, John (Chum) Christian Jacobsen, who nicknamed her Peggy while serenading her with the song, “Peggy O’Neil.” Her childhood was often isolated and difficult, but she grew up to be a proud, dignified and independent woman.  As an adult, Adah loved nothing more than surrounding herself with family and friends and enjoying a meal or a game of Scrabble or Yahtzee. She treasured occasions with friends: sampling beer and pizza at local breweries, taking bus trips to special destinations, or just having coffee and a chat. Disdaining television (except for “Lawrence Welk,” Sunday Mass, and the news) she loved books and read voraciously. She thoroughly enjoyed music, especially when she could hear a live concert. She relished the drama of clouds against a clear-blue sky and the antics of birds at the feeder outside her window. Throughout her life, she found joy in dogs—both hers and others—including the rescue dachshunds she sheltered in later years. An accomplished baker, she was known for her “brown bread” and rhubarb pies. She was a faithful church attendee and was especially active—with her husband Lee—in the Parish of Saint Dominic where she served as Eucharistic Minister and reader.  Adah was preceded in death by her devoted husband of forty-six years, Leonard Nickels, her sons Charles (Julie) Nickels, Kenneth Nickels, and Stephen Nickels, as well as her granddaughter, Sarah (Brian) Soller. Adah survived—by many years—her parents, grandparents, all her siblings and their spouses, and many of her cousins, nieces and nephews. Over the years, she was reunited and developed particularly close relationships with sisters Helen (Don) Smith, Vera (James) McCook, and Evelyn (Russell) McLean and their children.  She will be fondly remembered by her children: Ruth (Rick) DeJager, Jerome (Robert Byrens) Nickels, Mark Nickels, and James Nickels, her daughter-in-law Julie Nickels, and her “forever” daughters-in-law and close friends: Theresa (Rod Lowe) Nickels, and Kate (Kathryn) Nickels. She is also survived by her grandchildren: Ben (Jess) DeJager, Teya DeJager, Kate Nickels, Matt (Lauren) Nickels, Heather Nickels, Aaron (Ashley) Nickels, Tristan Nickels, her step-grandchildren: Rowan Bixler, Ayden Bixler and Sophia Bixler, and her great-grandchildren: Kyla Tramper, Tessa Nickels, Ella Nickels, Will Nickels and new arrival, Emma Estelle Nickels. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Joann Nickels, as well as close friends: Della (Jeff) Ade and Rose (Bob) Schenk.  A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, September 20, 2024, at Holy Spirit Church, 2230 Lake Michigan Drive, N.W., Grand Rapids. Burial will be held at Resurrection Cemetery. Relatives and friends may visit the family on Friday from 10:00-11:00 a.m. at the church. Memorial contributions may be made to  Faith Hospice at Trillium Woods or Holy Spirit Church.