Sara Kathryn Nichols

1933 - 2024

Sara Kathryn (Sigler) Nichols

May 25, 1933 - March 13, 2024

BLOOMINGTON - Sara Kathryn (Sigler) Nichols, 90, of Bloomington, and formerly of LeRoy, passed away peacefully at her home with family by her side, at 12:45 p.m. Wednesday, March 13, 2024.

Services will be held Saturday, March 30, 2024, at the First United Presbyterian Church in LeRoy, IL. Visitation will be held from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. with funeral services being held at 11:00 a.m. A private inurnment will be held in Oak Grove Cemetery. Calvert Belangee Bruce Funeral Home in LeRoy is in charge of arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the building fund or education programs at the First United Presbyterian Church of LeRoy where Sara dedicated her life.

Sara was born May 25, 1933, in Bloomington, IL, to Lee and Esther (Baldock) Sigler. Sara was a graduate of LeRoy High School and attended Illinois Commercial College in Champaign, IL, prior to joining her childhood sweetheart, Dean Nichols, (US Army National Guard) in Ft. Lewis, WA. They were married shortly after in Santa Barbara, CA, on April 5, 1952. Many LeRoyans joined the celebration as they were part of the 144th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion at Ft. Lewis. After 67 years of marriage, Dean preceded her in death on February 24, 2019.

Dean and Sara raised their family in LeRoy in the same house Sara grew up in. They had three children, Mark Nichols deceased, Michael Nichols, and Karen Bruning (Martha Fritcher), Bloomington.

Also surviving are five grandsons and four great-grandchildren: Brett (Melanie) Bruning and their daughters: Murphy and Banks, Bloomington; Tyler (Mychelle Stevens) Bruning and their sons: Cohen and Quinn, Danvers; Ethan Bruning, Chicago; Shane Bruning, Lexington, KY; Nathan Chambers, Knox, IN, and two dear nephews: Randy (Mary), and Stephen (Gail) Sigler, and their families. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dean; son, Mark; sister, Connie Coomer; brother, Edison (Dorothy) Sigler; and nephew, Kyle Sigler.

Sara had a career in LeRoy as office manager and insurance broker with Crumbaugh and Bock Insurance. She later worked at BOPI as a customer sales rep and retired from the McLean County Courthouse where she was a court attendant for Judge James Souk. Sara also gave her life to her church, the First United Presbyterian Church of LeRoy. She served as an Elder, Deacon, Sunday School Teacher, Director of Education, member of the Choir, and did the accounting for the church for over 30 years. She served with many organizations over the years and was the first to volunteer when anyone needed something.

Sara was passionate about her grandsons and their activities, reading, playing bridge (which she was still doing weekly at the time of her death), bible study and being with family and friends (The Slumber Gals, a bond of over 80 years). Sara taught us all to be accepting, be forgiving, have compassion, love without judgement and not to pray when it rains if we don't pray when the sun shines!