Don Nicol

April 02, 1932 - July 02, 2014

Don Nicol Obituary Don Nicol, loving husband, father and grandfather, passed to heaven on July 2, 2014. He was born April 2, 1932, in Anaconda, Montana to Harold and Mary Nicol, whose families came in covered wagons to the Bitterroot Valley in the 1860s. In 1936, his family moved to Missoula, Montana, where he lived until he graduated from the University of Montana. Don was always a hard worker, and had many jobs during his schooling, such as working at the Bonner sawmill, driving busses, and mainly as a fireman/engineer on the Northern Pacific Railroad. Baseball was also an important part of his youth. At age fourteen he played American Legion ball, then later played with the semi-pro Bonner Lumberjacks and the University of Montana team. He married high school sweetheart, Gloria Johnson, in 1951. After college graduation, they left for Fort Benning for basic officers? training through the ROTC program. They went on to Germany until 1957, when he completed his tour of duty. When back in the US, he taught and coached in Charlo, Montana, worked on the railroad, and began selling Hamilton mutual funds and insurance. In 1965, his family, which had grown to four daughters, moved to Spokane. In 1971, he began his business, Medical Dental Management, retiring in 1996. Don?s favorite pastimes were hunting, fishing (especially at Rock Creek in Montana), cutting wood, playing cards, growing beautiful roses, and golfing. His biggest satisfaction was building a cabin at Hayden Lake with his father-in-law and good friends. The cabin became the gathering place for family and friends, all of whom enjoyed Don?s fried fish prepared on the cook stove. He is survived by his wife Gloria, daughters Debi (Don) Rowberg of Albuquerque, Lori Nicol of Spokane, Donna (Andy) Wenberg of Huntington Beach, California, and Rhonda Getter of Stanwood, Washington, as well as grandchildren Leif, Bjorn (Lacey), and Lars Rowberg, Bryce (Angel) and Mari Bingham (Brad Mahoney), Erik and Karl Wenberg, Geoffrey and Lucy Getter, and siblings Betty Cuthbert Thiot and Bob (Bev) Nicol. A celebration of Don?s life will be held on Saturday, July 19th, at Advent Lutheran Church (formerly Christ Lutheran), 13009 E. Broadway Ave., Spokane, WA 99216, where he had been an active member for 48 years. Burial will take place at the family cemetery in Hamilton, Montana at a later date. Memorials may be made to Advent Lutheran Church or Hospice of Spokane, PO Box 2215, Spokane, WA 99210.