Dolores Irene Nichols

Dolores Irene Nichols

June 9, 2026

It is with great sadness that the family of Dolores Irene Nichols of Westminster Colorado shares her passing. Dolores went to be with her Lord on June 9, 2026. Dolores turned 91 in April of this year. She was a vibrant, loving and wonderful Mama, grandma, and great grandma. Her life touched so many people. Our hearts are broken and she will be deeply missed.

Dolores was from Williamsville, Missouri; she was born there and grew up there. She was the oldest of three children born to Chester and Minnie Tinker. The family lived on a farm and hard work was expected by everyone. She used to say she grew up on the three “C’s”, cooking, cleaning and canning. She loved gardening and learned a lot from her grandma working with her to grow and preserve food for a large family. Flowers were her passion; she saw beauty in them and always said if she had a home on a hill in the country it would be surrounded by wildflowers.

Dolores married the love of her life Bob right out of high school, and they had a wonderful, loving relationship full of family and adventure. They moved to Colorado in 1959 and raised four children. Bob passed away in 2013 after 61 years of marriage, and she has missed him dearly every day since. They are together again now, that is something her faith in God assured her would happen. She was a good Christian woman that raised her four children to respect all people and be kind. She believed forgiveness and understanding were key to being able to get along in this world. She always told us it was important to forgive; you didn’t have to forget, but forgiveness heals the heart. It allows you to love. Dolores was a great Mother, she was our guide, our teacher, our conscience and our cheerleader. She showed us how to work hard and give back to this world. She gave us room to be what we decided we wanted to be, to make our own mistakes and how important it was to learn from them. She taught us that when your friends need you, it's important to show up and support them. She also said you “take care of your family and love them, flaws and all.”

She was a nurse by profession and early in life she worked at Shriners Hospital in St. Louis. She also worked for a United Way Agency that helped the elderly that needed assistance, after her kids were older. She loved both those jobs and made connections that lasted a lifetime. Her biggest job was raising her family, and she did it exceptionally well. 

A wife, a mother, a nurse but her greatest pleasure in life was being a grandma and what a grandma she was! She couldn’t find enough time to be with her grandkids, she asked about them every day and was always happiest when they would come to see her. They were the best days of her life. And getting to live long enough to be a great grandma, she said was just icing on a cake; she loved each of them so much and will continue to watch over them. Her favorite pastime was baseball; she loved her Colorado Rockies and had a soft spot for the St. Louis Cardinals because that was the first game she ever attended back in the 1950’s. She is survived by her children Linda Nichols and Karen Nichols, Westminster, Colorado. Suzie Nichols, Hampton Virgina, Russell Nichols, International Falls, Minnesota. Grandchildren Nathaniel (Dez) Yokum, Thornton, Colorado, Curtis (Cami) Fox, Loraine, Ohio, Rachel (Joe) Damuth, Hamton, Virgina, Elisabeth Nichols, Thornton, Colorado, Bobby (Cierra) Nichols, Frederick, Colorado. Great grandchildren Kieran Yokum, Thornton, Colorado and Annelyse Fox, Loraine, Ohio. Her brother, Russell Tinker of Troy, Missouri, a brother-in-law, Joe Kiser of Piedmont, Missouri, and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband Bob Nichols, her infant son Gary Paul Nichols, her beloved sister Rose Kiser, her grandson Keith Fox, and her parents Chester and Minnie Tinker. Dolores will be laid to rest with beloved Bob at Ft. Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado