1 Peter 3:15 "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:"
This Bible verse was the sum of our mother's life—to share Jesus Christ and her faith in Him with anyone she came in contact with.
Ferne Louise (Shumaker) Nichols went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Aug. 16, 2009, shortly after a stroke.
Born Nov. 11, 1921, in Nokesville, Virg., to Clara (Mundy) Shumaker and Edward Shumaker, Ferne met and married our father, Hiram R. Nichols, who preceded her in death in 1988. Following his death she lived in Tampa, Fla., for seven years, then moved to Hailey, Idaho, for 10 years. The last three years she lived in Newport, Tenn., where she was living at the time of her death.
Mom was also preceded in death by two sons, Gary Nichols and Charles Nichols; one grandson, Baby Carl; two brothers and two sisters.
She is survived by her five children—son J. Richard Nichols and his wife, Jenifer Nichols, of Newport, Tenn.; daughter, Ferne R. (Nichols) Masters and her husband, Sammy Masters, of Baytown, Texas; son, Robert C. Nichols and his wife, Naomi Nichols, of Formiga, Brazil; daughter, Patricia I. (Nichols) Osenga and her husband, Richard Osenga, of Hailey; and son, Stephen C. Nichols and his wife, Becky Nichols, of Portage, Mich.; two sisters, Edith Suthard and Elizabeth Alley; as well as 20 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews and a host of friends.
Funeral services were held in Baytown, Texas, on Aug. 20, 2009, at 2 p.m. at Earthman's Funeral Home. Her pastor, John Rush, of Newport, Tenn., officiated the service.
We are truly thankful to God for our mother's life and her example of a godly Christian woman.
