Irwin C. Nichols 1895-1958

NICHOLS, BAROILLER, HENAMAN, LYMAN, SHAW, NEWGARD, SHKERVEER

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 11/18/2010 at 23:48:34

Services for Irwin Nichols Are Saturday
Funeral services for Irwin C. Nichols will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian church, the Rev. James K. Lyon officiating. Nichols was killed instantly in a car-truck crash at 12:45 p.m. yesterday at an intersection eight miles east of Fairmont.

Driver of the truck, Anton Scholander of Delavan, Minn., is listed in good condition at the Blue Earth Community Hospital. He suffered a cerebral concussion, scalp lacerations, contusion, and injuries to the lower back, spine and pelvis, according to the Daily Sentinel at Fairmont.

The accident occurred as Nichols was driving east on U.S. highway 16, according to Highway Patrolman Kenneth Sirohl. Scholander approached the intersection, driving in a northerly direction, and found that the brakes on his truck did not work, according to the patrolman.

Scholander told Patrolman Strohl, “The brakes didn’t work. There was absolutely nothing I could do. I tried to turn with the car and tried to use the emergency brake, but there wasn’t time.”

The patrolman adds he tried the brake foot pedal of the truck and found it was not functioning. Scholander has not been told of Nichols’ death, according to the Sentinel.

The Nichols’ car was sheared in half from the windshield to the rear. Nichols’ body was thrown 150 feet from the point of impact and landed in the south ditch of the highway, the patrolman says. The car came to rest in the north ditch. Scholander was knocked out of the truck and was lying along side of his vehicle after the accident. The truck was spun half way around by the impact and was across the highway when it came to rest.

Mr. Nichols was born Nov. 21, 1895 at Cedar Rapids, the son of William G. and Kate Jackson Nichols. After his schooling he enlisted in the army on Jan 12, 1916 and served until April 30, 1917 with Co. F of the First North Dakota Infantry. He re-enlisted on May 2, 1917 at Mandan, N.D. and served overseas before being honorably discharged as sergeant of Company F, 164th Infantry on Aug. 11, 1919.

While serving with the army in France, Mr. Nichols was married to Marie Baroiller who preceded him in death in July 1940. Three sons were born to this union.

On Oct. 3, 1941 he was married to Mrs. Ruby Henaman of Estherville.

Mr. Nichols served as clerk of court here for 21 years from 1924 until 1945. For the past 13 years he has been employed by the Golden Sun Milling Co. here as a salesman. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Masonic Lodge, American Legion and VFW.

Survivors are his wife, Ruby, three sons, Fred of Seattle, Wash., Robert of Estherville and Jack of Limon, Colo.; a stepdaughter, Mrs. Carl (Lenore) Shkerveer of Sheldon, 12 grandchildren and four step grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Also surviving are brother and three sisters. They are Elwin of Medford, Ore.; Mrs. Lewis (Sylvia) Lyman and Mrs. LaRue (Alice) Shaw, both of Mandan, N.D.; and Mrs. Ruth Newgard of Chehalis, Wash. He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife and one sister.

Friends may call at the Sternborg Funeral Home beginning tomorrow noon. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, December 11, 1958)