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Nicol, Bonita Lavonne Briggs
Bonita Lavonne Briggs Nicol, 87, passed away Monday, August 30, 2010, at the Halcyon House Care Center in Washington, Iowa. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Fawcett Funeral Home, Winthrop, with Pastor Dean Schlitter officiating. The family will greet friends from 10 a.m. until the time of services Thursday. Interment of her cremains will be in Fairview Cemetery, Winthrop.
She is survived by two sisters, Jenette Bush of Cedar Rapids, and Joan Shank of Washington; and many nieces and nephews, whom she loved.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her beloved husband of 55 years, Fred; three brothers, John (Bob) Briggs, Allen Briggs and Stuart Briggs; and one nephew.
Bonita was born Feb. 5, 1923, at Winthrop, Iowa, the daughter of John and Grace Skinner Briggs. She attended country school and later graduated with honors with the 1940 class of Winthrop High School. Upon completion of secretarial courses at Gates Business College in Waterloo, Iowa, she worked at Davidson's Department Store, Rath Packing and John Deere. Later she moved to Minneapolis and worked for ADM.
Bonnie (as she was known to her friends and family) married Fred Nicol on Sept. 9, 1943, in Iowa City, Iowa. Fred entered the U.S. Army and was stationed in California, where Bonnie worked for the office of personnel administration. When Fred was assigned to Guam, Bonnie returned to Iowa to await his return. In 1946, Fred was discharged from the Army and worked for the Federal Aviation Administration in the Midwest area for over 30 years. During that time they lived in various places.
Upon Fred's retirement they bought a Black Hills acreage in South Dakota, where they built their home and lived for over 30 years. Fred died on April 2, 1998.
Bonnie loved animals and fed deer daily at their home in the Hills. She was a ham radio operator and loved music, having built her own organ. Being an accomplished seamstress, she made beautiful knit, crocheted and needlework items.
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