Obituary of Muriel Lillian Nicholson

Loving Wife, Mother, and Grandmother Muriel Nicholson was born on July 12th 1927 in Watson, Saskatchewan to Milford and Lillian Small. Muriel was the oldest of 8 children, and being an agricultural family, they moved around Saskatchewan and Manitoba while the other 7 children were born. As they grew up Muriel, Laura, Joyce, Alex, Glenn, Cliff, Ruth, and Cecil (Bunny), lived in Watson, Quill Lake, Beaver, Swift Current, Shamrock, and finally moved to Dauphin Manitoba for the remainder of their childhood. Muriel became interested in nursing at young age. She received her formal nursing education in Winnipeg Manitoba, and then joined the R.C.A.F. (Royal Canadian Air Force) to start her formal nursing career. Unfortunately during these same years, her younger brother Glenn was killed in the Korean War. Muriel was stationed in Goose Bay Labrador when she met her Irish husband of 51 years George. They were married in 1960, and had one child Scott George Nicholson born in 1961. Muriel stayed at home with Scott being the best mother any child could ask for. Muriel took Scott to swimming, and hockey lessons and games. They spent their summers in Dauphin Manitoba with the rest of her siblings, many of whom had children the same age. It was a great way to grow up and raise a child. George had been working for the U.S. Air Force as a Civil Engineer, when the Air Force base in Goose Bay was shut down in 1970; the family started a coast to coast migration that would last 3 years. These were difficult times for the family, they moved in with her parents in Dauphin Manitoba staying for a year. In 1971 they immigrated to the U.S. living in Great Falls Montana. 1972 brought their final destination, Tacoma Washington. Scott was going into the 6th grade, and Muriel started working again in nursing. She worked primarily in nursing homes in the area before spending the rest of her career as a home health nurse with the Tacoma Pierce County Health Department retiring in 1993. Muriel and George loved to travel, and spent many months, and thousands of miles traveling to see friends and relatives across the country, Canada, Ireland and Great Britain. Muriel was an explorer at heart, and also traveled to Hawaii, Australia, and Belize. Muriel loved to be outside, and spent a great deal of time gardening in her yard which is blooming right now with everything that she had planted. Sadly she did not get to see her Rhodies this year. Scott finally found the perfect woman and married Jill in 2003. They blessed Muriel with 3 beautiful grandchildren, whom she loved dearly and spent a lot of time with. The grandchildren have many memories of spending time with Grandma Mo. She babysat, took them to movies, had sleepovers, and planted pots and gardens together. The immediate family always lived close and spent all of the Holidays together. They became concerned when she was unable to make it over for Christmas last year. Muriel was fairly healthy up until the last 4 months, never recovering from a blood clot in her lung in January. After emergency abdominal surgery at Allenmore hospital, things went downhill quickly, her body stopped working, and her soul went to Heaven on Tuesday April 24th 2012. She was preceded in death by her Mother and Father, brothers Glenn and Alex, and Sisters Laura and Ruth. She is survived by her husband George, brothers Cliff and Bunny, sister Joyce, son Scott, daughter in law Jill, and grandchildren Rose, Mallory, and Ian. Muriel lived a long full life, and touched many people along the way. She would want all of her friends and loved ones to not worry about her and to get on with there lives. Because everyone who new her, loved her, she will be dearly missed. The void created can only be filled with the wonderful memories all have, having known or growing up with her. We all love you and miss you very much! Please make any donations to The Multicare Health Foundation ICU-patients in the name of Muriel Nicholson. Donations can be mailed to Multicare Health Foundation P.O. Box 5296 Tacoma, WA 98415-0296 M.H.F – I.C.U. Patients In Memory of Muriel Nicholson Or made online at http://www.multicare.org/foundations/donations/multicare