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Friday, January 17, 2025 at 7:09 PM

Barbara Joyce (Knauss) Nichols, 89

Barbara Joyce (Knauss) Nichols, 89

Barbara Joyce Nichols, age 89, of Kingman, Arizona, passed away on Friday, December 27, 2024. She was born on August 3, 1935, to Luther (Pete) and Thelma Knauss in Centralia, Illinois. At the age of twelve, the family moved to Bridgeport, Nebraska, and she eventually attended Chadron State Teacher’s College. After graduation, she taught kindergarten-8th grade in a rural school. In 1955, she married her husband of 69 years, Leonard (Buck) Nichols.

Barbara loved her children, grandchildren, and she adored her great-grandchildren.You could always catch her in the summer heat watching swim meets or in the winter cold bundled up for the soccer games. “My babies are playing,” is what she would always say.When she got too sick and weak to sit in the stands, she would sit in the car on the hill above the Lee Williams field trying to keep warm. No matter the conditions, she was always there to support her family.

She is survived by her husband, Buck; her two daughters, Patricia and Nancy of Kingman; five grandchildren: Lt. Col. Daniel Eagan (retired) and Megan Eagan of Temecula, CA, Gabriel Otero of Kingman, Bryan (Kendra) Lerma of Kingman, Nick (Stephanie) Lerma of Bellingham, WA, and Stephanie Lerma of Bellingham,WA.

She had seven great-grandchildren: Gabriel, Grace, and Gwyn Otero of Phoenix, Aiden Otero of Kingman, Matthew and Ryan Osterman of Kingman, and Daphne Eagan of Temecula; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her mother and father, her brother Don, and her granddaughter, Jamie (Robinson) Otero.

Barbara gave her life to Jesus Christ at the age of 16 and was a regular at the Kingdom of God Baptist Church. She was loved by many and will be forever in the hearts of those who she touched.


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