Janet "Jan" M. Nickel

Janet (Jan) Marlene Nickel died on October 16, 2019. A resident of Fargo, North Dakota, she passed peacefully in Essentia surrounded by her daughters. She was 79 years old. Jan was born on June 9,1940 to parents Ashley and Pearl Milton in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. She completed her early education there, graduating from Lincoln High School. Determined to pursue her passion of caring for others, she enrolled in the Nursing Program at Manitowoc Institute of Technology. Shortly after graduating, she met and married the love of her life Curtis Nickel on July 29, 1961. They moved with their youngest child to Fargo, North Dakota in 1965. There they built a life together and had two more daughters. She was widowed at the young age of 39. Shortly after, she returned to school and in 1988 graduated with a B.S. in Nursing from North Dakota State University. Jan was deeply committed to nursing others through end of life care. She was a Nurse at Rosewood on Broadway for 25 years and then at Elim Care Center for 20 years. When she retired, she became a Guardian Angel for Hospice at Elim Care Center. In the 1970’s, Jan was editor of the Model Cities newspaper and worked to establish early community programs such as Senior Rides, Free and Reduced Cost school lunches, and local community playgrounds. She enjoyed attending her daughter’s theatre performances with her dear friend Arlie Johnson. Above all, her love of laughter and family were driving forces in her life. Jan is survived by her daughters Cassie (Cody) Fisher, Debra Nickel, and Susan (Mark) Brodin as well as her grandchildren Ashley Nickel and Max Brodin. She also leaves behind beloved family members: sister-in-law Charlotte Milton, nieces Kelly Stelsel and Kathie Sutton, nephew Thomas Milton. She was preceded in death by her husband Curtis Nickel, her parents Ashley and Pearl, and her brother Ronald Milton. A Celebration of Life for Jan will be held Friday October 25th at 2 pm at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 1258 Broadway N, Fargo, North Dakota. Visitation will be from 1-2 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that friends express their sympathy with memorial contributions sent to Hospice of Red River Valley. They would also like to thank the Essentia Critical Care team for their excellent and compassionate care.