Barbara Ruth Nichols, of Carthage, Missouri, passed from this life the 14th of July 2023, eleven days before her 94th birthday. The daughter of Albert and Faye Flesher, she was born in the same house as her father, brothers and sisters, 5 miles north of Purcell, Missouri.
She attended the 1 room Cedar Bluff school near their home through the 8th grade and then went to high school in Alba, where she graduated in 1947.
She married Bill Nichols on May 17th, 1947, a few days after her high school graduation. They had celebrated 75 years together upon his death this past December. They lived on West 96 highway their entire married life until health required them to move to Carthage.
During her lifetime she worked in Carthage at Howerton Cleaners, as the church secretary at Fairview Christian Church, at Bowers Service Company and in Joplin at Dorflex, Inc.
She was prolific gardener and seamstress, an author of one book, and her family’s historian. In her autobiography she wrote that when an old person dies without telling their story it’s as though a museum has burned down.
She was a member of Alba Christian Church and in her later years attended Fairview Christian Church in Carthage.
Barbara is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Beverly and Dennis Bowers of Carthage; four grandchildren, Pam Thurman (Jeff), Cristy Spencer (Brian), Jason Bowers (Orzalah), and Melanie Perkins (Dustin); 12 great grandchildren; Brittany Athmer (Jeremiah), Emily Fosse (Kaylor), Tyler Thurman, Kohl Thurman, Savannah Spencer, Bethany Spencer, Jeman Bowers, Wial Bowers, Boyd Perkins, Grady Friesen, Jaclyn Friesen, and Nolan Perkins; 2 great-great grandchildren, Kade Fosse and Kai Fosse; one sister-in-law, Blanche Flesher; plus a number of nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband, Bill, she was preceded in death by a son, Bill Jr (Butch), her parents, 2 sisters, Pat VanWey and Valeria Nelson, and 2 brothers, Wendell Flesher and George Flesher.
We are very thankful for the compassionate care Barbara received during the past months in the Memory unit at St. Lukes. The staff in the unit and the entire facility are the best. We are thankful they care about their patients and know they grieve Barbara’s passing along with us. May God bless you.
Services will be held 11:00 a.m. Monday, July 24, 2023, at Fairview Christian Church in Carthage, Missouri. A visitation will be held at 10:00 a.m. prior to her service. Burial will be at Park Cemetery in Carthage, Missouri.
Online condolences may be made at www.ulmerfh.com. Arrangements are under the direction of Ulmer Funeral Home.
