Marilyn Nichols, 85, of Mexico, passed away on Monday, Jan. 23, 2023, at Boone Hospital Center in Columbia.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 28, at Arnold Funeral Home with Rev. Eric Mattson officiating. Burial will be in East Lawn Memorial Park.
Visitation is Friday from 5-7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Marilyn was born on June 7, 1937, in Nevada, Mo., the daughter of James and Vera (Morrow) Morris. On June 25, 1955, at the Methodist Church in Nevada, she married Albert Lee Nichols. He passed away on March 25, 2002.
Mrs. Nichols was a 1955 graduate of Nevada High School. She was a member of the Mexico United Methodist Church, where she belonged to the Quilter’s Guild, helped prepare meals and volunteered with the Christmas Bazaar.
Marilyn loved crafts and belonged to local arts and craft clubs. She also belonged to a miniature club and attended many shows, both statewide and nationally. Mrs. Nichols was a Girl Scout Leader and 4-H parent. She loved baking and cooking and loved to play cards with friends and family, especially continental canasta, pitch and bridge. Marilyn also enjoyed bowling and traveling.
Marilyn had many friends and knew a lot of people. She had a great memory and could recall and share events and stories from years past that would leave her children amazed that she remembered such things. She was especially good at recalling names and who people were related to.
Survivors include two daughters, Connie Secrease of Mexico and Linda (Jerry) Cebula of Omaha, Neb.; one son, Doug Nichols of Rush Hill; seven grandchildren, Mark (Missy) Winterbower of Mexico, Mariko Winterbower (Alan Jackson) of Millersburg, Dustin (Melanie) Griffin of Centralia, Shannon (Ali) Griffin of Thompson, Kyle Nichols of Kansas City, Josh (Laura) Nichols of Rosemount, Minnesota, and Stormy Graves of Fulton; 12 great-grandchildren, Brianna Hart (Dylan McClain), Lexi Winterbower, Drake Jackson, Amaya Jackson, Emma Secrease, Bram Secrease, Gabe Griffin, Easton Griffin, Cale Griffin, Avery Nichols, Callie Nichols and Tyler; and two great-great-grandchildren, Brylan McClain and Bristol Hartner.
In addition to her husband, Albert, Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents, James and Vera Morris; her grandparents, Truman and Clara Thomas; and one son-in-law, Bill Secrease.
Memorial donations may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Missouri Veterans Home Employee Fund, or the Central Missouri Dream Factory. All may be sent in care of Arnold Funeral Home, 425 S. Jefferson Street, Mexico, MO 65265.
Online condolences may be left at www.arnoldfh.com.
