Peggy Lou Nicholas

Peggy “Peg” Nicholas age 87, of Lawrence, passed away peacefully Wednesday morning June 26, 2024, with her son & daughter-in-law at her bedside following a courageous battle with cancer. Peggy was born in her family’s home on June 21, 1937, in Lawton, MI to Maurice & Gertrude (Hulbert) Bailey. She was the second born of five children (3 girls & 2 boys). Peggy grew up in Lawton and she graduated from Lawton Community Schools in 1956. From 1957-1960, Peggy attended Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo & graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree & became a teacher. Peggy met the love of her life David Nicholas while she was attending college. They were married on June 24, 1961, and began their married life in Lawrence, MI where David grew up. Peg & Dave had one child, a son Timothy, born in 1964. They were a very active couple throughout their 60 years of marriage -enjoying dancing in their younger years, taking family & friends on boating trips, entertaining with friends & family at home or going on mini trips. Following their retirement, Peg & Dave found enjoyment spending more time with her grandchildren and volunteering, whether it was reading with the first graders at the Lawrence Elementary School or spending time as caretakers at the Big Sable Lighthouse giving tours. Peggy also loved her rose garden & house plants & cared for them well. Peg & Dave made so many wonderful memories together & were loved by so many. Family & friends were extremely important to Peggy & she always made time for them. She loved to bake and was well known for sharing her baking & cooking, especially her chocolate chip cookies! After many years of being Dave’s caretaker, Peg had to say goodbye to her beloved husband on December 30, 2021. She kept a picture of Dave taped to the side of a lamp by her chair and talked to him daily. The love that they had for each other was so evident, as was their love for their son, daughter-in-law, grandchildren, great grandchildren & other family & friends. 

Peggy also touched many lives through her teaching career. She taught Kindergarten her first two years at Bloomingdale Elementary School & the remaining years at Lawton Elementary School. She loved & cared for all of her students. She instilled confidence in them & showed them that it’s OK to fail at something, but don’t give up, keep trying. She also taught them not to be afraid to be silly & laugh at yourself. Teaching Kindergarten meant so much to Peggy & every gift that she received from her students or their parents she kept & cherished. She also kept tabs on her former students throughout their years in school & kept newspaper articles that she would find in the local paper reporting on their accomplishments. It was not unusual for former students to recognize her in public & walk up to her & say hello. She may not have remembered every face she saw, but she remembered their names. Peggy loved her job as a teacher & took it very seriously. She saw potential in every student. The Kindergarten Circus was a highlight of Peggy’s career. She started the circus while teaching in Bloomingdale & carried it with her when she transferred to Lawton. It became a yearly event that not just those in volved looked forward to, but also the school and community as a whole embraced & supported. Even after Peggy retired in 1994, the Kindergarten Circus continued & is still going on today. Peggy was so proud of the children & appreciative of all those involved in making it a success for all of these years. For the children, the circus was & is a time to be in the spotlight & their time to shine. What a gift to all! 

Peggy was a godly woman & had strong faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ. She was a member of the Lawrence United Methodist Church since she & Dave married. Over the many years she taught Sunday School & participated on various committees, but the job that she loved the most was sending Birthday, Anniversary, Thinking of You, Get Well, & Sympathy cards on behalf of the church to those in need of spiritual presence. She felt this was a mission for her & took this task very seriously. She always wrote a kind note in every card. There are so many words one could use to describe Peggy’s gentle soul. Here are several - loving, caring, kind, thoughtful, giving, generous, sincere, humble, dedicated, supportive, polite, appreciative, wise, hopeful, strong & determined. Peggy was also humorous & loved to play card games, especially Five Crown with her family & friends. She could be very competitive, but at the same time she could let you win without you even knowing it! 

Peggy loved her family dearly and is survived by her son Tim (Sandy) Nicholas; three grandchildren - Beth Jorriy, Becky (Brian) Holmes, & Kaitlyn (Ben) Andries; 5 great-grandchildren - Shelby Jorriy, Tyler Leach, Kennedy Holmes, Nicholas Holmes, & Lincoln Andries; only surviving sibling John (Jackie) Bailey; & sister-in-law Judy (Gordie) McGowan. 

Peggy was preceded in death by her parents, siblings Janice (Steve) Lubinski, Sandy (Harold) Wanink, & Jim Bailey. 

Cremation has taken place. Family & friends are invited to visit on Saturday, July 20th at the Lawrence United Methodist Church from 10:00am until 11:00am at which time there will be a funeral service. Burial will take place at Hill Cemetery in Lawrence immediately after the service, followed by a luncheon at the church. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Peggy’s name to the Lawrence United Methodist Church, Centrica Care Navigators (formerly Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan), Lawrence Alumni Association or Lawton Alumni Association.