Dorothy Jean Nickelson, 90, was born at the family farm south of Penokee, Kansas to Wallace Frederick and Lena Alice (Kaufman) Kerbaugh, March 3, 1929. Jean, as she was always called, attended the Miller District 52 Country School until the summer of 1936. Then the family moved to Loveland, Colorado hoping that her father could find work. The summer of 1937 their family returned to Graham County where Jean again attended the Miller School. In 1939 found they moved to Hill City and in 1942 they moved to Morland, where Jean finished her schooling.
Jean married Russell O. Nickelson June 16, 1946. They farmed south of Penokee, where Jean lived for over 58 years – four miles from where she was born. To this union five sons were born: Roland, Oren, Allen, Roger and Rusty. Russell died April 20, 1991. Her sons Oren, Allen and Roger all preceded their mother in death. Also preceding her were her parents, her two brothers Wayne and Rex and her grandson Jerrod.
Jean was a farm wife, mostly, but later worked at the Graham County Hospital for nine years and as a Hospice volunteer for 12 years. After she retired from that, she was a Foster Grandparent for 12 years at the WaKeeney Grade School.
Surviving Jean are two sons Roland and wife Elaine of Grove, Oklahoma and Rusty of WaKeeney; two daughters-in-law Diana Nickelson of Penokee and Glenda Nickelson of Salina; five grandchildren: Becky Webb, Solomon, Troy Nickelson, Salina, Jay Nickelson, Penokee, Cheyenne Nickelson, WaKeeney and Trina Hertel, Wichita; 10 great grandchildren, one great-great grandchild; two sisters Bernita Bell, Hill City and Leona Bell, Morland; a sister-in-law Delores Kerbaugh, Hill City and her extended family and many friends.
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