A Celebration of Life for Douglas Nichols, 72, of Adel will be held Sunday, May 7 at 12 p.m. at the Keller Brick Barn, 25967 T. Ave., Dallas Center, IA 50063. Visitation will begin at 11 a.m. and continue until the time of the service.
Online condolences may be left at www.carrisfuneralhome.com.
Doug remained full of life until the very end, after a 16-month battle with esophageal cancer. He passed away April 7, 2023, at home, surrounded by his loved ones, where he was able to play music, be with family, tell stories and share his laughter. His life was filled with gratitude for his many blessings.
Doug was born May 28, 1950, in El Paso, Texas, to Arthur and Evelyn (Swenson) Nichols, and he had one older brother, Craig.
After graduating from high school in Cherokee, Iowa, Doug wrestled at Drake University, where he received his degree in art and physical education.
He met his future wife, Mary Phillips, while teaching art and PE at All Saints School in Des Moines.
Before completing graduate coursework in physical education at the University of Colorado in Boulder, Doug shipped his bike to Nova Scotia and bicycled halfway across Canada and back to Des Moines.
Doug then taught K-12 art, coached wrestling and drove the school bus at Central Dallas High School and Washington Township School in Minburn.
Doug left teaching to work as a carpenter and later a home builder.
Doug and Mary were married on Aug. 25, 1979, on Christy Point of Lake Minnewashta in Arnolds Park, Iowa, and they moved to a small farm outside of Minburn.
Eventually Doug started Nichols Construction, at one time working with each of his sons, who are still in the trade.
In 1982 Doug and Mary moved to an acreage in Adel nestled between the Raccoon River and the Raccoon River Valley Trail, where they raised their three children, Kate, Chris and Ben, with a love of nature, sports, art and music.
Doug was often found wrestling with the kids on the floor, and he supported Chris and Ben in their high school wrestling. He attended every cross-country meet, softball, baseball, soccer game and wrestling match for his kids no matter the distance.
Having taught himself as a teenager to play guitar and banjo, Doug passed his love of music on to his children by driving Ben to Des Moines every week for drum lessons, teaching Chris to play guitar, bass and banjo and taking the family to concerts.
He was active in Kate’s 4-H, and they worked together to build a chicken coop and raise chickens.
As his children grew, Doug welcomed their partners into the family with open arms and adored his grandchildren, supporting all the events they were involved in. He planted pumpkin patches for the grandkids, fished with them in the river and gave them an instrument, inviting them to join in with the band.
Doug loved his acreage and was always hitting fly balls to his kids and eventually grand kids, mowing walking trails, gardening, hunting for morels, befriending animals, tending a fire, or splitting wood.
Doug had the good fortune of being in a band with his two sons and other band members for more than two decades and never took it for granted. He also played in Wilbur and Nancy Renfrow’s Friday night bluegrass group with many other cherished friends.
Doug was beloved wherever he went and was an easy friend to all. Always self-reliant, Doug heated his house by wood until the very end, never owned a cell phone and cherished the simple things life had to offer.
Doug had an infectious passion for life and his joy was unbounded. He liked to ride a bike without brakes until his last years because it made life interesting. He let those around him know how much he loved them and died knowing how much he was loved in return.
Doug was preceded in death by his parents and brother.
Survivors include wife, Mary; daughter, Kate, and her husband, Eric, and their children, Gedion and Omji, of Winona, Minnesota; son, Chris, and his wife, Sara, and their children, Tucker, Hank and Grady, of Earlham; son, Ben, and his wife, Amber; son, Bodhi, and expectant child of Dexter; sister-in-law, Maureen Nichols of Omaha, Nebraska; and niece, Morya Mathewson, and her family of Piedmont, Oklahoma.
Memorials may be given to the following three organizations: Charlie Cutler Healing and Wellness Program—Doug’s spirit was profoundly uplifted by the music and massage therapy provided through this program during his stay on the John Stoddard oncology floor. Charlie Cutler’s courage in the face of adversity inspired Doug, filling him with hope, strength and gratitude. Gifts can be made online, or send a check made payable to John Stoddard Cancer Center to Unity Point Health Foundation—Des Moines, 1415 Woodland Ave. E-200, Des Moines, IA 50309. Please put on the memo line: Douglas Nichols Memorial. Or make a donation to the Raccoon River Valley Trail Association or the Addam Medina Foundation.
