Nichols, Richard Oliver (1937-2014)

NICHOLS, WOOLARD, BERENDS, MOORE, RIGGS, GETZ

Posted By: C Tucker (email)
Date: 10/28/2015 at 16:20:19

Schroeder Memorial Chapel
On-Line Obituaries
Boone, IA

Richard Nichols
October 10, 1937 - October 29, 2014

Richard Nichols, age 77, of 422 Kale Road, died October 29, 2014, at the Boone County Hospital. A graveside service will be Monday, November 3, 2014, at 11 a.m. at the Mineral Ridge Cemetery in Ridgeport with Pastor Randall C. Nichols officiating. Friends may call at Schroeder Memorial Chapel at Sixth and Marshall on Sunday from 2 to 8 p.m. where the family will be present from 6 to 8 p.m. Richard Oliver Nichols was born in Marshalltown, Iowa, on October 10, 1937, the son of Wilmer and Mary (Woolard) Nichols. The family moved to Brighton, Colorado, where Richard graduated from Brighton High School in 1955. As a teen, he worked in the Safeway Grocery Store in Brighton. He moved back to Marshall County in Iowa in 1956 and worked as a farm hand for various Marshall County farmers including his brothers John and Charles Nichols. Eventually he would farm for himself and work full time at Kiowa Foundry in Marshalltown. On July 6, 1958, Richard married Joyce Berends in Clemons, Iowa. In 1964, Richard purchased a small farm in Dodge Township in Boone County. He farmed and worked full time at Quinn’s Machine and Foundry. He acquired more acres to his farm as adjoining farmland became available. He also worked for Hallet’s Construction and operated heavy equipment in the development of the Don Williams Park. In the winter months, he would do deliveries for Boyd’s Dairy. Eventually, Richard was working only on his 600 acre farm that was about half timber and half crop ground and had become Steep N Deep Ranch. At its peak, the Ranch had a herd of 200 head of Angus cattle and several herding/riding horses. Steep N Deep had a small herd of cattle through 2009. Richard actively participated in farming until his death. Richard received the Iowa Soil Conservation Achievement Award in his district in 1966 and in 1980, Richard was district winner in the Iowa Soil Conservation Awards Program. He took a horsemanship course at DMACC and attended the American Breeders Service A.I. Management School. He believed in his commitment to being a good steward of his land and enjoyed observing nature and conservation. He also collected Indian artifacts. Richard was a member of the Boone County Farm Bureau and N.R.A. Richard is preceded in death by his parents, wife Joyce, and a sister Mary Ann Nichols. He is survived by two sons Robin Nichols and wife Terri of Dubuque and their children Joshua and Casey; and Lonnie Nichols and wife Digna of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and their child Zana; a daughter Jacki Moore of rural Boone and her daughter Laney Moore of Ankeny; four brothers John Nichols of Texas, Charles Nichols and wife Ann of Marshalltown, Philip Nichols and wife Wilma of Knoxville, Tennessee, and Bruce Nichols and wife Viola of Longmont, Colorado; two sisters Rosalie Riggs of Brighton, Colorado, and Beverley Getz and husband Dick of Mesquite, Nevada. In memory of Richard, memorials may be directed to the family.