Joseph W. Nickels

07/09/1925 - 06/12/2006

Joseph W. Nickels, 80, of Herminie, died Monday, June 12, 2006, at Redstone Highlands, Greensburg. He was born July 9, 1925, in Philadelphia, a son of the late Joseph and Gertrude (Ryan) Nickels. He was a World War II veteran, having served in the U.S. Navy from 1943 until 1945, as a hospital corpsman stationed at the U.S. Navy Hospital in Philadelphia, and then the USS Ocelot, which was sunk in a typhoon in 1944 in Okinawa where all survived. Mr. Nickels, "Joe," attended Eckels Mortuary College in Philadelphia in 1947 and became a licensed funeral director in 1950. He was a licensed funeral director for 53 years, in both Philadelphia and Herminie, where he served on many committees and was a former president of the Westmoreland, Indiana and Armstrong Counties Funeral Directors Association. Mr. Nickels and his wife, Regina, along with their six children, moved from Germantown, Philadelphia, to Herminie in 1968. He became an active member in the community and especially his church, St. Edward Roman Catholic Church, Herminie. In addition to St. Edward Church, he was a life member of the Knights of Columbus, Herminie VFW Post 8427, Westmoreland County Firemen's Association, Sewickley Township Volunteer Fire Department Station #15 and the Westmoreland County Food Bank. He was instrumental in starting and maintaining the Sewickley Township Community Food Bank for many years and also donated the funeral home ambulance to aid in the startup of the Sewickley Township Ambulance Service. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Regina K. Nickels (Dec. 25, 2003). Mr. Nickels, "Joe," is survived by three sons, Joseph W. Jr., of Santa Fe, N.M., Francis X., of Herminie, and James G. and his wife, Cathy, of Fruitland, Md.; three daughters, Bernadette M. and her husband, Mark A. Altman, of Bovard, Regina K. and her husband, David A. Roesner, of Baltimore, Md., and Patricia A. and her husband, Edward J. Spencer, of Santa Cruz, Calif.; eight grandchildren, Nicole M., Leah R., David A., Bryce M., Erica M., Shannon E., Hilary D. and Joseph E.; a daughter-in-law, Lisa D. Nickels, of Herminie; a sister, Dorothy G. "Penny" and her husband, Robert Hector, of Venice, Fla.; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. Friends will be received from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday and from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the JOSEPH W. NICKELS FUNERAL HOME INC., Herminie. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at noon Saturday in St. Edward Roman Catholic Church, Herminie, with Father Thomas Trupkovich as celebrant. Interment with full military honors accorded by the Greensburg VFW Post 33 Elite Honor Guard will follow in West Newton Cemetery. A St. Edward Parish rosary will be recited at 3:30 p.m. Friday in the funeral home. The Herminie V.F.D. will meet for services at 7 p.m. Friday in the funeral home. The Herminie VFW Post 8427 will meet for services at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, please make memorials to St. Edward Roman Catholic Church, 120 St. Edward Lane, Herminie, PA 15637.