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Obituary for Janet F. Nichols
Janet Nichols age 96, of Frederic, WI, passed away February 9th, 2014 in Maplewood, MN, several days after a stroke. Janet was born on May 20th, 1917 to Emil Bengtson, who immigrated from Sweden in 1889 and Jenny (Miller) Bengtson, who was from Dawson, MN. As a small child Janet lived on a small farm near Bone Lake. In the winter, snow would blow in between the cracks of the log walls and land on the straw mattress beds. In the summer Janet and her sister Myrtle would catch frogs and sell them to the fishermen who came from the Twin Cities, sometimes earning as much as 50 cents. They saved this money and bought school clothes in the fall. She went to high school in Luck and Milltown where she graduated in 1935. After graduation, Janet worked in a restaurant where she met her future husband, Don Nichols. They were married in the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa, September 4, 1937. Janet had two children. The first (Janice Jo) was stillborn in 1940, and the second (Kay Francis) was born in 1941. Janet stayed home and cared for Kay while Don secured work in Alaska, Guam, and Newfoundland for several years during WWII. During this period Janet volunteered for the March of Dimes, performed in benefits for polio, won a trophy in the state bowling championship and served on the Election Board in Frederic for twenty years. She was the only woman accepted by the Billy Goat hunting club, where she cooked and cleaned for the hunters. She enjoyed fishing and camping with Don, as well as knitting, crocheting, quilt-making and doing embroidery. She was an excellent cook and had many special dishes that family members still try to emulate. Don and Janet shared 58 years of happiness until Dons death in 1995. Janet lived alone in her home in Frederic for another 15 years, where her neighbor Eleanore Carlson checked in on her daily as she became less able to care for herself. In 2010, she moved to a nursing home in Maplewood, Minnesota. She is preceded in death by her parents, Emil and Jenny Bengtson; her daughter, Janice Jo; her grandson, Perry; her six siblings; and her husband, Don. She is survived by her daughter, Kay and husband, John Hammes; three grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Visitation will be at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, February 14 at Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Frederic with funeral services to follow at 2:00 p.m. Pastor Paul Peterson will officiate. Music will be provided by vocalist, Karen Swanberg, violinist, Andrea Purvis and organist, Mary Lou Daeffler. A luncheon will be served after the service in the Fellowship Hall of the church. Interment will be at Maple Grove Cemetery. Pallbearers are Bob Moses, Steven Nichols, T.J. Ozomoru, Keith Manske, Scott Manske and Michael Quinn. Honorary Pallbearers are John Hammes Jr., Milton Daeffler, Kevin Iverson, Gary Kendrick and Donnie Haumont. Online condolences may be left at www.rowefh.com . Refer to this website for updated information. Arrangements have been entrusted to Rowe Funeral Home in Frederic, WI.
