Phyllis Ann Nichols

Phyllis Ann Nichols met our Lord and joined His heavenly choir on October 31, 2025 at the age of 89. She was born on August 30, 1936 in Sherman, Texas and was the only child of the late Wilbur and Voy Newsom. At a very young age, she developed a love for music and the piano, and this became an eternal passion until the end of her days. She was a devoted music teacher at Southeast High School, and later retired as a school counselor from Moore High School and choir director at the First United Methodist Church in Moore. Phyllis met her lifetime love, Delbert Ernest Nichols, while she was in high school. Their courtship included Delbert taking Phyllis to her piano lessons. They married on Christmas Day in 1953 and celebrated 59 years of marriage until Delbert's death in 2013. They had two children - a daughter Kathy and a son Joey.

Phyllis earned her bachelor's in choral music at the University of Central Oklahoma and her master's in music at the University of Oklahoma. She began her music career teaching at Hoover Junior High and after two years, transferred to Southeast High School. At Southeast, she worked with many talented students and conducted choirs that were state sweepstakes winners. She inspired many to love music and some became excellent music teachers or performers. Her love for music not only directed her career, it inspired her to sing, conduct choirs, and accompany worship to praise and glorify the Lord until the last days of her earthly life.

Her grandchildren remember their "GaGa" as an active grandma who took them on "field trips" that were recreational and, of course, educational. Trips to the pool, zoo, or movie theater were interspersed with trips to a musical, museum, or concert. Music usually made its way into their activities.

Phyllis is survived by a daughter, Kathy Stanka (husband Lyle Stanka), granddaughter Keri Walton (husband Chris Walton), and great granddaughters Cayla and Kinslee Walton.

She is also survived by a son, Joey Nichols (wife Get Nichols), granddaughter Manna Nichols Wong (husband Lawrence Wong), great granddaughter, Eden Wong; grandson Micah Nichols (wife Vanessa Cruz Nichols), great grandchildren Jonah, Grace and Benjamin Nichols; granddaughter Bethany Nichols (husband Barrett Keene), and great granddaughters Josephine and Annabella Keene.

The family would like to thank Legends Assisted Living Center at Rivendell and Legacy Family Hospice for their care and compassion.

While we mourn her loss and her beautiful music, we rejoice knowing that our mom, grandma and great grandma is singing today with the angel choir in heaven.