Idonna Nickell

BORN: July 26, 1939 in Sugar City, Idaho

PASSED AWAY: January 12, 2022 at home in Roy, Utah

Sisters: Kolleen Peterson (Evan, deceased), Rana Burgener (deceased) (Sid)

Brothers: Max Wade (Deanna), Rex Wade (Dessa), Brent Nelson (deceased)

MARRIED: May 19, 1957 to her very handsome Marine, SCOTT GENE NICKELL (deceased February 26, 2015 Roy, UT), in Driggs, Idaho. Later sealed to each other and their children for eternity in the Idaho Falls Temple in 1967.

CHILDREN: Rox Ann Green (David, deceased), Bruce Nickell (Karen), Brenda Malmberg, Janet Butterfield (Cory), Brian Nickell (Joleen).

IDONNA and SCOTT met before he went to boot camp. When she knew he was coming home, she waited and watched for him from her window, and as her kids tell the story, as soon as she saw him walking towards her house, she ran out of the house and kept running to him, grabbed him and “climbed him like a tree!!” Scott said “We’re going to get married!!” And so began their love story.

 She proved she was up to the task of being a Marine’s wife wherever that took them; and eventually, their children as well. They lived in Twentynine Palms, California, Bremerhaven, Germany, Fort Meade, Maryland, Forestville, Maryland, Idaho Falls, Idaho, Hawaii, and back to Fort Meade. However, there were also lengthy separations when Scott was in Vietnam and Idonna was home with the kids. It had to be hard worrying about the love of your life during wartime as it also was worrisome for their children. When he retired, he moved the family to Rexburg, Idaho and began a second career in the cheese business. Mom was asked to move again off to Beaver, Utah, then to Roy, Utah. Finally, this became the final resting place for both love birds. 

 All the kids said their mom “ran a tight ship.” She was organized, always had a clean house, and to this day, all of her kids have clean homes. She taught them all how to work hard. 

She was a good cook, and had her kids try a variety of foods and meals. There were certain foods Scott was used to eating, or had tried elsewhere, and he taught her how to make them; she just kept adding to her “culinary repertoire.” However, the kids all said that their mom hated all vegetables. But, she made them, all kinds, and ate them herself so that they had to as well!!

 One of her family’s favorite memories was making candy and baking at Christmas time with their mom. She’d go all out! All kinds of chocolate covered candies, fudge, divinity, cakes, and other delicious treats. Mom also loved Halloween; making chili for her ever expanding family on that night, and handing out bags of candy to kids. She loved to have get-togethers so the kids, grandkids, and great grandkids would come over.

Grandkids remember the “Grandma twist.” If she thought a grandchild was misbehaving or being too sassy, she would take her fingers and grab their hair on the back of their head and twist it just enough to get their attention!! And it would!! She always told you what was on her mind but then said that she loved you, because she did. 

She had a wall with all the pictures of the kids, grandkids, and great grandkids. She loved looking at the wall and she knew all the names. As a new daughter-in-law that came into the family around 16 years ago, I have always appreciated her complete acceptance of me right from the start. She would hug me, tell me she loved me, and call me “sis”, like she did with her own daughters. I remember going out to lunch on her kids’ birthdays, including mine, with all of her kids there. There was ALWAYS a lot of joking, laughing, with Mom so often being the “instigator!!” She had a rather wicked sense of humor! 

Mom loved the Lord and served as a primary teacher, primary president, but especially enjoyed being the ward librarian!! Mom also truly loved her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren and “children-in-law” but her family knows she loved Dad THE MOST!!! How wonderful to know that they are TOGETHER again and will always be close by to support their family, as needed. 

Graveside Services will be held on Monday, January 17, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at the Roy City Cemetery, 5200 South 2300 West, Roy, Utah. 

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