Opal (Foote) Nichols, age 88, passed away on September 25, 2023.
Opal was born on July 3, 1935 to Samuel and Cecil Foote. She grew up on a farm with her nine siblings. She attended Country School through 8th grade. Opal married Charles (Chuck) Nichols on June 7, 1955. They were married for over 67 years. They had three children: Kathlyn who passed away 3 days after birth, Jeffrey and Jenny.
Opal worked a variety of jobs. Starting with sorting mail at Boys Town and later running her own daycare business. She was a professional seamstress, sewing for a furniture company for many years. She always had some sort of sewing project going on at home as well. Anything from patching and remodeling to making Barbie clothes for her daughter and granddaughters. She had the gift of patience for both sewing and life.
Opal was an easy-going soul. She was kind and caring, and loved spending time with her kids and grandkids more than anything. She was always up to play a board game or a round of Go-Fish or UNO with the grandkids. She would take them shopping on their birthdays and spend all day letting them pick out what they wanted with their birthday money. She truly was the best grandma.
Although Opal didn’t care much for cooking, no one ever left her house hungry. Her homemade popcorn balls on Halloween were a real hit with the neighbors and grandkids.
Opal enjoyed fishing, gardening camping and traveling with Chuck to wherever the road would lead them. In her later years when she developed Alzheimer’s disease, she eventually became a resident at a nursing home where she made many friends and was loved by all that knew her. Her unfiltered opinions and comments gave the staff something to smile about. Opal was the ray of sunshine on a cloudy day.
Opal was preceded in death by her parents, Samuel and Cecil; husband, Charles; daughter, Kathlyn; son, Jeffrey; brothers: Fred, Darrell, Paul and Roy; sisters: Eva, Arlene, Violet, Norma and Mona; and granddaughter, Brandy.
She is survived by her daughter, Jenny Reinig (Mark), Missouri Valley; grandchildren, Chuck, Linda, Allen, Valyn, and Logan; and great-grandchildren: Jenna, Shelby, Ethan, Raine and August.
Celebration of Life Saturday, September 30, 2023 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at Maher Funeral Home. Inurnment at Garner Township Cemetery at a later date. Memorials will be directed by the family.
