Helen Riley Nichols' Obituary
Helen Riley Nichols, 78, of Decatur, died on Sunday, May 28, 2006 in Decatur.
Memorial services celebrating her life will be 3 pm Saturday, June 3, 2006 in the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at the corner of Mound Road and North MacArthur Road. The family will receive friends from 2:30 pm until the service time at the fellowship.
She was born March 13, 1928 in Buffalo, New York the daughter of James Walker Riley and Helen Cameron Holden. She studied nursing at Sisters of Charity Hospital, Buffalo, N. Y., earning her Registered Nurse degree. After graduation she moved to New York City where she worked for eleven years at Brooklyn Jewish Hospital, as a staff nurse, clinical instructor and operating room supervisor. During this period she also attended Hunter College graduating with honors with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education.
Helen married George K. Nichols on September 4, 1960 in Tupper Lake, New York. In 1962 they moved to Decatur, Illinois. Here they were active in the Commodore Decatur Yacht Club, racing their Snipe sailboat. In 1973 she went to work at Decatur Memorial Hospital serving as a staff nurse, head nurse and eventually Director of Materials Management over a period of sixteen years, retiring in 1989. She helped plan the first Oncology Unit and was the head nurse there. After retirement she and her husband traveled throughout the United States and Canada in their travel trailer for ten years.
Her husband, sons, Mark H. Nichols and Christopher J. Nichols and his wife, Lisa Nichols as well as her grandchildren A.J., Kiel, Mellisa Turpin and Riley and Alyx Nichols survive her. Her sister, Mary Roizen, of Fort Worth, Texas and her brother Eugene Riley of Pipe Creek, Texas, also survive her. She also leaves many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Her parents, her brother, James W. Riley and her daughter, Amy Susan Nichols, preceded her in death.
Helen was an avid reader and always carried a book with her. She was also a serious music lover and enjoyed opera, symphony concerts and ballet. She enjoyed playing bridge and for years played regularly with a group of friends. Her most interesting hobby was genealogy. She spent many hours researching her family and was able to trace back to 1642. Her family history research involved travel in the United States, Canada, England, Scotland and Ireland.
Memorials are suggested to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis TN. 38105.
The family of Helen Riley Nichols is being served by the Moran & Goebel Funeral Home, 2801 N. Monroe St. Decatur.
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