PHYLLIS NICKEL

1932 - 2025

PHYLLIS CLAIRE

NICKEL

June 29, 1932 – Sept. 16, 2025

Our beautiful and faith-filled mother, Phyllis Claire Nickel, passed peacefully into eternal life on the morning of September 16, 2025. Phyllis, age 93, was born in El Centro on June 29, 1932 to William and Lucile Volner. She spent most of her life in El Centro.

She met and fell in love with her high school sweetheart, Clarence Nickel. They were married on March 31, 1951. Family was important to both of them, and they welcomed the first of their six children in May of 1952. Desiring her children to have a Catholic education, she was part of the committee working to open St. Mary's Catholic School. Her oldest daughter, Theresa, was in the first Kindergarten class that continued through 8th grade. She was a member of the Altar Society, Legion of Mary, and in later years she joined the church choir. She also enjoyed gathering with other Catholics to do book studies and pray the rosary.

Phyllis was unafraid and embraced challenges with confidence. She enjoyed baking specially decorated cakes for birthdays, and sewed fabulous Halloween costumes. She loved to knit and embroider, and made the best caramel and pecan tarts. She took woodworking classes and learned bookkeeping. She began her career as a bookkeeper working for her father and then Matt La Brucherie, whom she greatly admired. Phyllis helped design and oversaw the building of her dream home, which she happily lived in for 60 years. She was a member of the Claddagh Club, Women's Investment Network, and Women's Ten Thousand Club. She also was an avid bridge player.

Phyllis loved to travel and spent many vacations exploring the United States with Clarence. She traveled with family along the east coast and to Ireland. When she returned she would create albums documenting the vacation. She also had a love of reading which lasted her whole life. She always enjoyed studying the Bible, and found it the only meaningful thing to read in the last years. She spent her time praying, listening to mass, saying the rosary, and studying God's word. She enjoyed discussing what she was studying and praying with and for others.

Phyllis is survived by her children, David Nickel, Karen (Chris) Gonseth, Pat (Lauri) Nickel, Jennifer Nickel, and Elizabeth Cochran; brother, Bill Volner; grandchildren, Tamara (Josh) Childress, Jonathan (Samantha) Crie, Brian (Edith) Nickel, Celeste (Shannon) Crie, Ken Gonseth, Sean Nickel, Nicholas Villalobos, Natasha (Danny) Rela, Naomi (Ashley) Wiser, Christopher Villalobos, Timothy Cochran, and Michael Cochran; great-grandchildren, Leah Jenkins, Reuben Nickel, Jericho Jenkins, David Childress, Ian Childress, Ephraim Nickel, Elise Wendl, Coco Crie, Niko Rela and Lili Crie; and numerous nieces and nephews. Phyllis was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Clarence, daughter Theresa Crie, and sons-in-law, Rick Cochran and Chris Crie; sisters Mary Sheridan and Margaret Ambose.

A rosary will be held at St. Mary's Catholic Church in El Centro, California on Saturday, October 4 at 9:00 a.m., immediately followed by a Funeral Mass. A reception will follow at Christ Community Church Fellowship Hall in El Centro.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Birth Choice of Imperial Valley, Imperial Valley Life Center, or Real Hope Center.