Jean R. Nickel

Jean R. Nickel, 79, of Loup City, died Monday, June 29, 2009, at Mt. Carmel Home Keens Memorial in Kearney. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Josaphat’s Catholic Church in Loup City. The Rev. Marty L. Egging will officiate. Burial will be in the Evergreen Cemetery in Loup City. Visitation will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday with a 4 p.m. sodality rosary at Peters Funeral Home in Loup City. A vigil service will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the church. Mrs. Nickel was born on Feb. 14, 1930, at Fort Dodge, Iowa, the daughter of William and Lillian (Poduska) Eral. She is survived by her husband, Bernard E. “Bernie” Nickel of Loup City; one son, Timothy Nickel of Kearney; and one daughter and son-in-law, Theresa and Steve Czaplewski of Kearney. She is also survived by two grandchildren, Caitlen Ann Nickel of Kearney and Matthew Czaplewski and Ashley Whitford of Kearney; two step-grandchildren, April Binder of Table Rock and Bret Czaplewski of Omaha; and her former daughter-in-law, Merrie Nickel of Kearney. As a child Jean lived with her family at Pocahontas, Iowa and attended Jr. High School in Havelock, Iowa. The family later moved to Hastings where she attended High School, graduating in 1947. She then attended St. Francis School of Nursing in Grand Island, where she became a registered nurse. She was united in marriage to Bernard E. “Bernie” Nickel on Aug. 4, 1951, at Hastings. The couple farmed near Axtell until moving to Arcadia in 1961. Jean worked at the Valley County Hospital in Ord for 10 years where she helped start the cardiac department. She also worked as a school nurse for Region 23 schools and Loup City Public Schools for 30 years, retiring in 2001. The couple resided in Loup City since 1977. Jean moved to Mt. Carmel Home Keens Memorial in July 2008, where she lived the rest of her life. She was a member of St. Josaphat’s Catholic Church, Council of Catholic Women, Rosary Sodality and the American Legion Auxiliary, all of Loup City. She also belonged to the Retired Teachers Association and was named to Who’s Who of Nebraska in 1976. She was very proud of having served as the president of the board for both the Sacred Heart Hospital and Rose Lane Home, both in Loup City. She enjoyed reading, bowling, golfing and spending time with her grandchildren. She loved vacationing in Texas. She was preceded in death by her parents. Memorials are suggested to the family’s choice.