Lucille Nickel

Funeral services for Mrs. Lucille Faye (Friesen) Nickel, age 76, of Norman, and a former Corn and Clinton resident, will begin at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 3, 2018 at the First Mennonite Church, 700 South 19th Street in Clinton.

Lucille was born on Thursday, September 25, 1941 in Clinton, Oklahoma the daughter of John L. and Irene Norma (Rempel) Friesen. She passed away early Friday morning, December 29, 2017 in Norman with her family by her side.

Lucille was raised and educated in Corn, Oklahoma, graduating from Corn High School on May 14, 1959. Upon graduation, she attended Draughon’s Business School in Oklahoma City, returning to Clinton, Oklahoma to begin a career with the ASCS (Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation Service) office, a division of the Oklahoma State Department of Agriculture in 1961. Lucille served in numerous leadership roles at the ASCS office before retiring in 1984 after 23 years of service.

In September of 1983, Lucille suffered a stroke that left her fighting for her life. She overcame every obstacle, shattering doctor’s opinions and diagnosis, to reclaim her life and return home to continue her love and care for her daughter, Deidre. Lucille lived the rest of her life with daily challenges but never allowed her physical limitations to interfere with her joy, her innocent sense of humor and her love of life. She lived everyday confident in God’s blessings and held tight to the promise of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If Lucille ever questioned why life dealt her a challenging hand, she never let it known. She faced each day being the best she could be, constantly striving to do more. Many situations and predicaments over the next many years allowed for much laughter and continued joy, with Lucille always being at the center of all of it. She truly was a woman with an exceptional fighting spirit and a will to persevere through the toughest of challenges. But through it all, she never lost the heart that made her so special to those she loved so very much.

Lucille was an active and engaged member of the First Mennonite Church of Clinton, serving with the Awana’s Children’s Program, the King’s Daughter’s Ladies Group and several other programs within the church. Lucille loved being with her friends, often playing a great game of Bingo and sharing her smile and warm
personality.

In 2011, Lucille moved to Norman to be close to her daughter, Deidre and family. This created additional time and opportunity to expand on the love, care and joy Lucille thrived on. Many great moments and priceless memories were made in the sunset of Lucille’s life with the ones she cherished the most. Although Lucille will be missed terribly, we rejoice that she is free of pain and has regained the ability to walk, run and be free from the physical limitations she lived with for 34 years.

She was preceded in death by her parents; an infant son, Scott Wayne Nickel; four brothers, Paul Friesen, Ray Friesen, Bill Friesen and Willard Friesen; and two sisters, Helen Heibert and Lorene Friesen.

Lucille is survived by her only daughter, Deidre Caldwell and her husband, Kyle of Norman; two grandchildren, Quinn Caldwell and Addison Caldwell of Norman; two sisters, Norma Nickel and her husband Vernon of Clinton, OK and Lois Barnhart and her husband, Jim of Phoenix, AZ; one sister-in-law, Alma Friesen of Edmond, OK; and many nieces and nephews, including a caregiver niece, Toni Nickel of Moore, OK.

Burial will conclude in the Mennonite Brethren Cemetery in Corn, Oklahoma immediately following the church service in Clinton.

Arrangements for Lucille and her family were placed in the care of Shane Vice at Tribute Memorial Care in Norman, Oklahoma. (www.tribute.care)