Donna R. Nickel

Funeral Services for Donna Nickel, 86, Corn resident will be held 10:00 A.M., Monday, March 15, 2021 in the Herold Mennonite Church, officiated by Kevin Creed. A private burial will be held prior in the Herold Mennonite Cemetery under the direction of the Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home. Donna Rae (Lohrenz) Nickel was born September 14, 1934 along with her twin sister, Wanda to John B. and Helena (Hiebert) Lohrenz in Orienta, OK and passed away Wednesday, March 10, 2021 near Corn, OK. She was raised on the family farm where she milked cows, tended pigs, turkeys, chickens, and the family horse. The family attended the Saron Mennonite Church where she gave her life to Christ at an early age and was baptized into the church. She walked to school each day to the Orienta one room school. During her high school years she attended the nearby Oklahoma Bible Academy in Meno, OK where she met her future husband LaVern Nickel. After high school she went to Grace College of the Bible in Omaha, NE where she attended for two years. On June 28, 1955 she married her high school sweetheart in a double wedding with her twin sister. She and LaVern made their home one mile west and one and a half miles north of Corn. OK where she lived for the rest of her life. They had three children, Jeff, Sonya and Tim. She faithfully performed the duties of a farm wife; making meals and taking them to the field and helping move equipment from one field to the next. They raised chickens, cattle, and pigs and even ran a dairy for a short time. Later in life she attended nursing school at SWOSU then went through the LPN School in Burns Flat, OK where she graduated in 1988. In 1996 she attained her RN License by correspondence. She worked at the Corn Heritage Village, Clinton Regional Hospital and Jim Thorpe Rehabilitation. She was still serving as a nurse until February 2021 when she officially retired from nursing. She and LaVern faithfully served at the Herold Mennonite Church where they were members and attended all of their married years. They served on the church food committee and were youth sponsors. She sang in the choir and ladies chorus (she knew every song in the hymnal and didn’t need to turn to the page to sing along.) She was a part of the Women in Mission organization, assisted with Vacation Bible School and young mission workers programs. She was always willing to help anyone in any way she could. Her hobbies included reading books and doing puzzles. She also loved a good game of dominoes with her family or her group of friends she met with often. She also enjoyed meeting with a group of ladies for breakfast at the Corn Café. Donna loved spending time with her family and friends, especially her grandchildren and later great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband LaVern, daughter Sonya (Nickel) Flaming, and granddaughter Breawna Nickel; her three brothers Norman “Bud”, Gene, and Dickey; and her five sisters Anita, Betty, Marlena, Lorraine, and her twin sister Wanda. She is survived by her son Jeff and wife Lisa of Corn, son Tim and wife Arleta of Corn, son-in-law Jim Flaming of Hobart; her brother-in-law Rocky Decker of Enid, OK; and her grandchildren Bethanie (Nickel) Slagell and husband Joseph of Hydro, OK, and Bryce Nickel and wife Anna of Corn, OK. She also has four great-grandchildren Elim, Tabitha, Caleb, and Havilah Slagell, along with numerous nieces and nephews. In Lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Global Disciples Organization 315 W. James St Ste 202, Lancaster, PA 17603.