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April 16, 1922 - May 19, 2015 Jean Fleming Nicol was born in Ottawa, Canada on April 16, 1922 to Benjamin and Ida Fleming. She had two wonderful older sisters, Frances and Mary. Jean started acting in skits and performing monologues before she was eleven years old. In 1942, she boarded a train for New York City to attend the Neighborhood Playhouse Theatre School on a scholarship where she studied acting with Sanford Meisner and dance with Martha Graham. On Thanksgiving Day 1945 she went for dinner at a friend's apartment and watched the arrival of a tall incredibly handsome young man wearing a shabby long coat. Recently discharged from the Army Alex Nicol had recently returned to New York to work as an actor. They fell into conversation that lasted for hours and he offered to walk her home after dinner. As they walked along 57th Street flakes of snow began to dust the street turning the world into magic. They fell into a love that lasted a lifetime and beyond. Jean and Alex married at City Hall in New York City on September 17, 1948. Alex was put under contract with Universal Studios and they moved to Los Angeles. They lived in LA and many other places with their three children, Lisa, Alexander and Eric and created a family of friends with the Bartons, the Bassetts and the Andersons with whom they shared so many important memories. Jean and Alex traveled all over the world in their later years finally settling in Santa Barbara, California where they found a wonderful interesting group of friends who they came to love dearly. Jean and Alex were parted in 2001 when he exited the stage but he was never far from her in the years to follow. On May 19, 2015, Jean boarded the Stardust Express for her next journey to beyond the Milky Way where we think Alex was eagerly awaiting her. Her children and grandchildren, Lisa Nicol, Alex Nicol lll, Eric Nicol, Lisa's husband Jeff Goffo, Eric's wife Elaine Nicol and her four grandsons, Nicolas and Alexander Goffo and Jared and Evan Nicol waved goodbye as she serenely stepped off the platform. She also leaves her niece Diane Champagne and nephew Robert Horlick and their families as well as the Campbells and the Stacks. Jean Nicol was the most amazing, loving and supportive mother and grandmother imaginable, a kind and loyal friend, a funny and irreverent wit and a thoughtful and compassionate citizen of the world. She loved good company, the beauty of nature, art, music, film, literature, theatre, poetry and a rousing political argument. Her family thanks all her friends at Casa Dorinda where she found a new and interesting life three years ago. Special thanks and love to Debbie Molnar- Jean's great friend who taught us how to say goodbye. Our heartfelt thanks to the staff of the Medical Center for their tender care during her short stay and to the Santa Barbara Visiting Nurse and Hospice Care team. Jean- "Haply I think on thee" A memorial celebration will be held in Santa Barbara in the near future.
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Published in the Los Angeles Times on May 24, 2015
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