NICHOLS, Robert Lester 1910 - 1988

NICHOLS, HAYWARD, SPILMAN, ANDERSON, CAFFREY

Posted By: Pat Ludeke (email)
Date: 8/19/2015 at 23:46:33

LAKE COUNCILMAN, 78, DIES

Robert L. Nichols, 78, of 514 South Eighth Street, Clear Lake, died Tuesday, March 29, at a Rochester, Minn., hospital.

Funeral services were 10:30 a.m. Saturday April 2, at First Congregational Church, Clear Lake, with the Rev. Kenneth Ubbelohde officiating. Burial was in the Clear Lake Cemetery.

The family requests memorials be made to the Robert L. Nichols Memorial Fund.

He was born Jan. 24, 1910, in Mount Vernon Township, Cerro Gordo County, to Charles and Alice Mae (Hayward) Nichols. He attended Mount Vernon rural school.

In 1934, he moved to Clear Lake where he was the longtime owner of the Mobil service station at 518 South Eighth Street. He operated the station from 1936 to 1957. He then leased the station until 1967, when he sold it to Gene Goetsch, although he continued to work at the station as a mechanic part time until his retirement.

On Aug. 5, 1933, he married Irene Spilman at the home of her parents in Union Township, Cerro Gordo County.

He had served on the Clear Lake Council since 1976 and was mayor pro tem. In past years, Nichols served on the Clear Lake School Board, first in 1948 and on into the 1950s for at least two terms. He was a board member of the Clear Lake Fire Museum and served as the chairman of the fire committee for the city. He was a former member of the Lions Club and will be remembered for his efforts in helping to organize the Venetian Parade, an annual event held during Governor’s Days in Clear Lake. He was also a member of the Clear Lake IOOF Lodge and First Congregational Church of Clear Lake.

Survivors include his wife, Irene, Clear Lake; a daughter, Mrs. David (Judy) Anderson, St. Michael, Minn.; a son, Lester, Bay Village, Ohio; three grandchildren; a great-grandchild and two step-grandchildren; a sister, Mrs. Guy (Marjorie) Caffrey, Clear Lake; and a brother, John, Clear Lake.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters and a brother.

Honorary pallbearers were Jim Ransom, Glenn Westover, Leonard Ouverson, Harry Baago, Shelby Pierce, Melvin Barlow, Roy Scott, John Perkins and Bud Hughes.

Active pallbearers were Carl Hankenson, Dick Hughes, Nels Larsen, Art Tesar, Larry Luker and Tom Lincoln.

Organist Pat Treloar accompanied soloist Larry Shaffer.