Shirley Wilcox Nichols

Shirley Wilcox Nichols, 92, passed away peacefully on April 8, 2025, at Maple Springs in Brigham City, Utah, where she resided for the past 5 ½ years. Shirley was born the fifth of ten children of Francis L and Florence Hawkes Wilcox in Preston, Idaho, on December 16, 1932. Her family moved to Hyrum, Utah, when she was in seventh grade. She graduated from South Cache High School in 1951, where she participated in girls sports, drama, and loved cheering for the Spartan teams as a member of the Sparta Pep Club. She married Carroll Nichols in the Logan Temple in 1951. After he graduated from Utah State University, they moved to Payson, Utah, where he began his teaching career. They next moved to San Bernardino, California, for 15 years to continue teaching and he became an administrator. While Carroll attended graduate school for his master’s degree and most of a doctorate in education at UCLA, Shirley raised six children and managed their home. He served as the Bishop and she served in many church auxiliaries.

They moved to Brigham City, Utah, in 1968 when Carroll became the Principal of Box Elder High School for 15 years and then Assistant Superintendent for five years. They added two more children to their family while they attended every sports, drama, music event and school dance at the high school. Shirley was Box Elder’s most dedicated fan and everyone who heard her whistle at football or basketball games remembers her well. She worked as a teacher’s aide at Lakeview Elementary for special needs students. She was involved in the American Legion Auxiliary, ALA Utah Girls State, DUP, Women’s Civic League, and Hospital Volunteer in Brigham City. When they returned to southern California, Carroll taught alternate high school and Shirley worked as a tutor in a school.

Shirley loved serving her family by sewing many of their clothes, including matching dresses for her daughters for Christmas and Easter, cooking wonderful meals, keeping a beautiful, clean home and baking fresh bread. She worked hard to raise and can a large garden where her children weeded at her side all summer. She loved watching Elvis Presley, Doris Day and Gidget movies, but her favorite was Gone with the Wind. All her children learned piano and her daughters danced hula. The gospel was an important part of their family life. They also had a Navajo daughter, Fannie Jo Harrison and a Japanese student, Tsunemi Kanda Ito. Their home was always open for a Pinochle card party, a Hawaiian luau or other gathering of their friends or their children’s friends.

After retirement, Carroll and Shirley served two missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Salt Lake Temple Square and Australia Sydney CES. They moved to St. George, Utah, and then returned to Brigham City, where they served in the Brigham City Temple. They traveled and cruised to every U.S. state and every continent except Antarctica.

Shirley is survived by her eight children, Susan Nichols Lee, Steve (Dayna) Nichols, Teresa (Bruce) Garrett, Shelly (Dale) Heward, Linda (Marc) Urmston, Brent (Tiana) Nichols, Jill (Rory) Violette, and Eric Nichols. She also has 46 grandchildren, 115 great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great-grandchildren. She loved and bragged about her family and supported their activities. She is also survived by her brothers Gordon (Cherry) Wilcox, John (Betty) Wilcox, sister Ella (Jerold) Simons, and sister-in-law Dixie Wilcox. She was preceded in death by her husband, Carroll, her parents, two brothers, two sisters, and infant twin brothers.

The family wants to thank the staff of Maple Springs for such loving, wonderful care of her all these years, along with CNS Hospice workers. A viewing will be held at Gillies Funeral Chapel, 634 E 200 S., Brigham City, Utah  on Friday, April 25, 2025 from 6:00-8:00 pm. A viewing will be at the Brigham City 14th Ward, 650 Anderson Drive on Saturday, April 26, at 11:30 am -12:30 pm with Funeral services to follow at 1:00 pm. where a livestream will be available at www.gilliesmortuary.com/ShirleyNichols/ Compassionate service by the 14th Ward Relief Society. Burial will be in the Hyrum City Cemetery.

Leave condolences at www.gilliesmortuary.com.

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