Obituary: Laurie Nichol, The Dalles

Laurie Nichol

Laurie Nichol’s legacy is one of looking upward and outward. Her last Facebook post was on Easter, expressing her hope in Jesus. Her love of people was lifelong and her ability to connect with others a true gift. Even as she was facing cancer treatments, before leaving a hospital bed, she would pray for the person who would occupy that space next.

Laurie Ann (Lyons) Nichol was born on Oct. 2, 1961, in Flint, Mich., and died on June 19, 2023, in The Dalles, Ore. She was the second of three daughters born to John (Jack) Patrick and Jean Therese Lyons. Her older sister Jeanne Marie was 2 at the time, and little sister Mary Therese came along two and a half years later.

The family moved to Bethel Park, Penn., in 1967 when Jack got a promotion with General Motors. Bethel Park was a wonderful place to grow up. Jack would randomly take the family on a “mystery trip” vacation, and they were always special to Laurie and her sisters.

Laurie loved the social side of the school. She met her lifelong friends in eighth-grade cheerleading. In high school, she was involved in all kinds of clubs, but she was most proud of being in the Bethel Park Bethettes — a part of the marching band. She raised her pom poms high at every football game, parade, and marching competition.

The family moved to Boulder, Colo., in 1978 after another job promotion for Jack. Laurie stayed behind as a part of the Kern family to finish her senior year of high school before heading west. Although she missed her family, that year was full of fond memories and a special sisterhood bond with her best friend, Traci. Laurie continued to stay close to her high school friends over the years, including traveling together, further strengthening their friendship.

Once in Colorado, Laurie got a job at StorageTek in Louisville. She and Mary loved doing aerobics together at Flatiron Athletic Club in Boulder. In January of 1986, Jeanne gave Laurie’s phone number to a medical student named Tom in the dental office where she worked, and Laurie and Tom were married on June 14 of that year. Together with the man she later referred to as her “True North,” she and Tom started the first of their 37 years as a team. They moved to Phoenix, Ariz., shortly after for his medical residency. In December of 1988, Christina “Tina” Marie was born.

After looking for a community for Tom to begin practicing medicine in 1989, Laurie and Tom settled on The Dalles. Little Tina kept Laurie busy, but Laurie volunteered at the children’s museum nevertheless. Tina became a 4-year-old big sister when Devin Lyons was born in 1993. Laurie always had her hand in their activities, whether it was Tina’s dance recitals and soccer games, or Devin’s tennis matches and musical pursuits. She even stepped waaay out of her comfort zone to coach Devin’s peewee soccer team when no one else could. Laurie loved being a mother.

Laurie’s years in The Dalles were marked by generosity, encouragement, and service to others. There was a stint where she was a “Cookie Lady,” one of several group members who would take dozens of cookies to the high school at lunchtime as a way to connect and minister. One time, Laurie was heartbroken to see a pregnant girl sitting all by herself. To her, a student like that was the reason for the ministry. Laurie continued to have a heart for the adolescent age group. Many young people considered Laurie to be a mother figure and she loved them all dearly. However, Laurie had a special place in her heart for Tina’s college roommate, Sadie, and later for the family’s Belgian exchange student, Tim. The connections she formed as the teaching director for Teen Community Bible Study (CBS) were also strong. She was even asked to officiate a wedding! Laurie was also active in CBS as the area director and enjoyed attending all types of community events.

Naturally, Laurie’s love of people extended to hospitality. Perhaps due to her Italian heritage, she opened their home to countless people of all ages and served delicious meals, no matter the size of the crowd. She loved feeding people. Bringing together the Nichol side of the family from five different states for every-other-year Thanksgiving gatherings was Laurie’s terrific idea. For years, she hosted a Fourth of July celebration for family friends in the community that even included a kids’ mini parade with decorated bikes and wagons. Each year, a king and a queen were crowned and Laurie played the Star Spangled Banner while they completed a victory lap.

Laurie loved to cook, host, entertain, dance, and have fun with family and friends. She was delighted on the occasions when she met famous people when traveling, including Carol Burnett and Cameron Diaz, and never shied away from talking to them. She loved flowers, good food (especially “snackies” made by her brother-in-law Ronnie), and her Yorkies. She was always able to portray elegance; she had a good eye for creating a beautiful yard, home, and event. For special occasions, she was always polished and stylish. She had a close bond with her sisters and mother and would visit as often as she could. She had a great sense of humor and loved laughing, especially at Tom’s antics.

She and Tom enjoyed traveling, sometimes just the two of them, sometimes with family and friends. She was thrilled when Jeanne and her husband Greg could join them in Turks and Caicos. Her favorite place on Earth was Cannon Beach. The family took a special trip after Tina’s high school graduation which included visiting Lucca, Italy, where her maternal grandfather Arthur Consani was born. That meant a lot to Laurie. Another highlight was visiting Tim and his family in Belgium a few years later.

Laurie joined cheerleading in eighth grade, but essentially never stopped cheering for others her whole life. She was a nurturer, encourager, life coach, mother figure, and friend. One of her favorite roles, though, was becoming “Nona” to her granddaughter Lucy Sofia Perez in July of 2021.

Laurie loved all the people in her life and embodied this message that she shared in the wedding service she performed: “Love is fundamentally action … and when the Bible speaks of love, it measures it primarily not on how much you want to receive, but by how much you are willing to give of yourself.”

Laurie is survived by her children, Tina Perez and Devin Nichol; son-in-law Luis Perez; granddaughter Lucy Perez; mother Jean Lyons; sisters Jeanne Myers and Mary Gillam; and numerous extended family members and countless friends.

Memorial donations can be made to The Laurie and Tom Nichol Memorial Fund through The Gorge Foundation. https://gorgecf.org/donations/

A memorial will be held in honor of Laurie and Tom Nichol at the Columbia Gorge Community College Amphitheater on Aug. 25 at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome.

Obituary: Thomas Andrew Nichol, M.D., The Dalles

Thomas Andrew Nichol, M.D.

Thomas Andrew Nichol, M.D. was born in Denver, Colo., on Jan. 30, 1960, and died in The Dalles, Ore., on June 19, 2023. Tom was the second child of Dr. Thomas William and Barbara (Barby) Williamson Nichol. His older sister, Cindy, had just turned 1 when he was born, and within the next 10 years, he became a big brother to sisters Suzanne, Andrea, and Meredith.

Tom spent his early years in the mountains of western Ethiopia, where his parents served as medical missionaries. His experiences included playing soccer with the local children, learning Amharic, and exploring in a swarm with the other missionary kids. Tom, along with sisters Cindy and Suzanne, attended Good Shepherd boarding school outside the capital, Addis Ababa, starting in third grade. Ethiopian food remained his lifelong favorite fare.

The family returned to Colorado in 1971, settling in Longmont for a year before moving to Estes Park in 1973. Tom attended the Estes Park schools, where he excelled in basketball and track and was crowned prom king. His name is the first inscribed on a sportsmanship plaque reflecting selflessness and character.
Tom followed his parents’ footsteps and enrolled at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Ill., eventually deciding on a chemistry major. He and his friends wanted to have fun and make a difference, so they created the Q.T.G.s … Quite the Guys. The Q.T.G.s’ philanthropy projects included a run benefitting the American Cancer Society. While at college, Tom played on the golf and soccer teams. He followed his parents’ lead further by deciding to enter the medical field upon graduation. He wanted to help others.
Tom attended the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Denver from 1982-1986. He became close friends with others in the Nu Sigma Nu rentals and enjoyed highly competitive foosball games during study breaks. The spring before he graduated, he proposed to Laurie Lyons, whose sister had arranged a blind date with him that January. Laurie said yes. They were married on June 14 of that year, and Tom had 37 anniversaries with “the most amazing woman I know.”

Tom’s residency in Internal Medicine was a three-year stint in Phoenix, Ariz. Their first child, Christina “Tina” Marie, was born there in 1988. The draw of the cooler Pacific Northwest, windsurfing, and the opportunity to join a medical practice brought the little family to The Dalles in 1989. A few years after the move, his son Devin Lyons was born in 1993.

Tom touched so many people with his medical acumen, compassion, and humor during the 33 years he served as an internist and then hospitalist in The Dalles. He is remembered for his generosity (offering to mow a lawn when a patient was in the hospital), his calming demeanor (a fellow doctor who immediately felt relief when Tom arrived on the scene of an emergency), his brilliant mind and persistence (saving a man’s life when others were preparing family members for the worst), and, of course, his humor and passion for life (joking with patients by pretending he didn’t know where the end of the stethoscope went, and skateboarding on the fourth floor of the hospital when it was being renovated). Being a doctor was a calling more than a vocation for him.

Tom made the most of his off-hours, too. He loved the outdoors, carefully tending his garden, and was always environmentally conscious. He enjoyed a wide variety of sports including golf, windsurfing, kite-boarding, snowboarding, and riding his road bike. If having a one-wheel is a sport, add that to the list. Once he challenged himself to ride it from home to work, making it all the way to his desk! He enjoyed gruyère, game nights, and get-togethers with his friends. His hobby farm gave him a special connection to his late grandfather Nichol’s chicken hatchery, and he was a third-generation Denver Broncos fan.

His playful nature was on display at community events, especially Dancing with the Gorge Stars in 2016. He loved coaching and helping with Devin’s and Tina’s youth teams, including soccer, basketball, and hockey. The investment was long-term, playing goalie while players practiced shooting during high school, and driving three of the boys to Portland to try out for a college soccer team. That mentorship extended to having talks with the kids that visited their home for Teen CBS and offering a balanced, thoughtful response when his children and their friends would seek his counsel. He always knew what to say.

Besides giving time, Tom and Laurie were also marked by generosity with their resources. Someone would have a need and they would cover it. Whether it was the use of their belongings or their home or financial help, they quietly contributed.

Tom enjoyed traveling as well. For Tina’s graduation, the family went to Italy, and years later visited their exchange student Tim from Belgium. Tom and Laurie vacationed at numerous beaches where he could be on the water and she could relax on the shore. He returned to his childhood home in Ethiopia in the winter of 2013-14 with Cindy, packing medical supplies and soccer balls. Tom often played soccer with local kids, sometimes missing the ball to make them laugh. In 2018, Tom and Devin took a trip to Scotland to explore their ancestral home.

Tom’s trademark gift was his humor, and he was more than comfortable using it. He enjoyed sharing his off-the-charts creativity and singing skills in the videos he made for special occasions. His storytelling, often of his own mishaps, could make others laugh, often to the point of tears. He had a quick wit and a creative perspective that brought joy and laughter.

Tom’s greatest joy was his family. “I thank God every day for blessing me with this woman and our two children.” He was thrilled to become a grandfather when Lucy Sofia Perez was born in July 2021. In classic Tom fashion, he chose to be called “Palapa,” a word he picked up in Turks and Caicos meaning “beach hut.” Tom called little Lucy one of the “great joys of life.”

The ripple of Tom’s effect on others extends to the patients he healed, the young adults he guided, the friends he loved, and the family he left with a gaping hole in it.

Tom’s legacy lives on through his children, Tina Perez and Devin Nichol; son-in-law Luis Perez; granddaughter Lucy Perez; mother Barby Nichol; sisters Cindy Nichol, Suzanne Tennent, Andrea Kell, and Meredith Heikes; and numerous extended family members and friends.

Memorial donations can be made to the Laurie and Tom Nichol Memorial Fund through The Gorge Foundation. https://gorgecf.org/donations/

A memorial will be held in honor of Laurie and Tom Nichol at the Columbia Gorge Community College Amphitheater on Aug. 25 at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome.

Death Notice: Rosalie Jeannette Chance, 78, The Dalles

Rosalie Jeannette Chance, age 78, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away on August 20, 2023.

Spencer, Libby, and Powell Funeral Home is in care of arrangements.

Death Notice: Frances May Brown, 84, Portland

Frances May Brown, age 84, a resident of Portland, OR, passed away on August 19, 2023.

Spencer, Libby, and Powell Funeral Home is in care of arrangements.

Obituary: Jefferson John Davis, 51, The Dalles

Jefferson John Davis, age 51, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away on August 6, 2023. A Celebration of Life will be held at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in The Dalles, OR, on September 23, 2023, at 1:30 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made at Home At Last animal shelter, 200 River Rd. in The Dalles, OR 97058, or at Cove Ascension School 1104 Church St. Cove OR, 97824. Spencer, Libby, and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.

Death Notice: Gerald "Jerry" Michael Kelvin, age 75, Dufur, OR

Gerald "Jerry" Michael Kelvin, age 75, a resident of Dufur, OR, passed away August 14, 2023. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.

Death Notice: Virgil L. Thompson, 85, The Dalles

Virgil L. Thompson, age 85, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away on July 14th, 2023.

A viewing will be held at the Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home on August 26th, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. A Private Family Burial will be held at the Odd Fellows Cemetery. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home is in care of arrangements.

Death Notice: Robert “Bob” Zeman, Hood River

Robert “Bob” Zeman passed away on August 14, 2023 at home in Hood River, Oregon.  Bob was born on December 16, 1939 and was 83 years of age at the time of passing.  A service for Bob will be held 2:00 P.M., Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at Anderson’s Tribute Center. Graveside Rites will follow at The Upper Valley Parkdale Cemetery.  A time for friends to visit with family and view is planned for 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M., Monday August 21, 2023 at   Anderson's Tribute Center Visit www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com to leave a note of condolence for the family. 

Death Notice: Glenda Anne Ray, 82, Tygh Valley

Glenda Anne Ray, age 82, a resident of Tygh Valley, OR, passed away on August 13, 2023.

Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home is in care of arrangements.

Georgann Grace Powell, age 95, The Dalles, OR

Georgann Grace Powell, age 95, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away on August 12, 2023. A Graveside will be held at the Condon Cemetery in Condon, OR, on September 15th, 2023 at 1:00 pm with a lunch to follow. Spencer, Libby, and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.  

Shelley Renee Caldwell, age 58, Tygh Valley

Shelley Renee Caldwell, age 58, Tygh Valley, OR, passed away on August 11, 2023. Spencer, Libby, and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.

Death Notice: Lane Warren Jolliffe, 86, Boise and The Dalles

Lane Warren Jolliffe passed away recently in Boise, Idaho. He was 86 years old. After serving honorably in the U.S. Navy for four years, he came to The Dalles to join his parents Warren and Hattie Mae Jolliffe, his sisters Marlys, Karen and Barbara, and his brother Lyman.

He met his wife, JoAnne Osborne in The Dalles, and they were married in September of 1959. Together they had three boys, Stewart, Todd, and Justin.

Obituary : Dorothy Laverne Herman, 80, White Salmon, WA

Dorothy Laverne Herman, of White Salmon, WA., passed away July 22nd, 2023, at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon after a year-long battle with cancer. She maintained a positive attitude all throughout, never giving up hope of recovering. Her sister Ruby Pantalone was by her side with her son and close family nearby.  

Dorothy was born in a simple farmhouse outside of Soper, Oklahoma to Wiley and Beulah (Ray) Herman on March 23, 1943. She joined sisters Roberta and Ruby. Brother James and sister Brenda would follow.  

While Dorothy was still little, her family moved several times to states that included New Mexico, Texas, and back to Oklahoma before moving to Mosier, Oregon by the time she was five. Dorothy attended all twelve grades in Mosier, graduating from Mosier Highschool in 1961. In high school she played volleyball all four years, and her serve was powerful! You did not want to be on the receiving end of one of her spikes!  She was a member of the Girls' Athletic Association, pep club, school newspaper staff, annual staff, and participated in several school plays. Dorothy, along with her brother and sisters, delivered the Oregonian and Oregon Journal in Mosier for several years and they picked cherries every summer—all to help pay for school clothes.  

Dorothy moved to Portland after graduating high school going to work for Meier & Frank Department Store while attending to Portland State University and later attending PCC. In ’62 She landed a job at Pacific Northwest Bell, and once hired she worked at the Telephone Company for 28 years as an instructor in Sales Support. It was a job that she thoroughly enjoyed. 

After retiring from the Telephone Company in 1990, she moved to White Salmon, Washington where she worked to become a real estate broker, licensed in both Oregon and Washington. This was a second career well suited for her extrovertive tendencies and innate ability to network. After retiring from real estate, she enjoyed researching her family history as well organizing special get-togethers for family, friends, and retirees from US West Direct (Pacific Northwest Bell). She loved this work immensely. She took the most joy in spending time with friends and family. A most memorable event was her trip to Europe taken in 2000 with her friend Lynn Heyer—It remained a highlight of her travels and her life.  

She is preceded in death by her parents, Wiley and Beulah Herman, and sister Brenda Herman. She is survived by her son Kevin Herman of White Salmon; two sisters Ruby Pantalone of Keizer, Oregon, and Roberta Reisner of Woodburn, Oregon; brother James “Jim” Herman of White Salmon, WA., and her Aunt Willia Mae Orta of Azel, Texas. She is also survived by two nieces, seven nephews, and many cousins throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Oregon and Washington, as well as a host of friends far and wide.  

Services are planned for Saturday, August 26th at 11:00 AM at Anderson’s Tribute Center in Hood River, Oregon with reception to follow. Please feel free to bring your favorite food item.  

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a contribution to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.  

Death Notice: Shirley E. Murphey, 75, The Dalles

Shirley E. Murphey passed away on August 9th, 2023, at her home in The Dalles, Oregon. Shirley was born June 6th, 1948, was 75 years of age at the time of passing.

Services are pending at this time with arrangements under the direction of Anderson's Tribute Center • Celilo Chapel 204 E. 4th Street, The Dalles, Oregon 97058.

Visit www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com to leave a note of condolence for the family.

Death Notice: John Robert Mahan, The Dalles

John Robert Mahan, age 43, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away on August 7th, 2023. A Celebration of Life will be held at the Shilo Inn in The Dalles, OR on September 10th, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.

Death Notice: Mark Allen Maddux, The Dalles

Mark Allen Maddux, age 63, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away on August 8, 2023. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.

Death Notice: Colleen Addie Fredrickson, The Dalles

Colleen Addie Fredrickson, age 92, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away on August 7th, 2023. A Viewing will take place at the Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in The Dalles, OR, on August 11th, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. A Memorial Service will be held at the Evangelical Church in The Dalles, OR, August 12th, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. She will have a private family interment at the Odd Fellows Cemetery in The Dalles, OR. Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.

Death Notices: Thomas Andrew Nichol, 63, The Dalles; Laurie Ann Nichol, 61, The Dalles

Thomas Andrew Nichol, age 63, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away on June 19, 2023. A Memorial Service will be held at The Columbia Gorge Community College’s Amphitheater on August 25th, 2023 at 7:30 pm. Spencer, Libby & Powell funeral Home is care of arrangements.

Laurie Ann Nichol, age 61, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away on June 19, 2023. A Memorial Service will be held at The Columbia Gorge Community College’s Amphitheater on August 25th, 2023 at 7:30 pm. Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home is in care of arrangements.    

Death Notice: James Keith Kinder, 71, The Dalles

James Keith Kinder, age 71, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away on August 5th, 2023.

Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home is in care of arrangements.

Shirley Jean Kittelson, age 71, The Dalles, OR

Shirley Jean Kittelson, age 71, a resident of The Dalles, OR, passed away on August 4, 2023. A Memorial Service will be held at the Spencer, Libby, and Powell Gathering Hall in The Dalles, OR, on August 12th, 2023 at 1:00 pm with an Internment at Odd Fellows Cemetery on Cherry Heights in The Dalles, OR, to follow. Spencer, Libby, and Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements.