Elizabeth J. “Betty” Nickell, age 86, of Johnson, Kansas passed away at her home on July 21, 2014. She was born September 23, 1927, the daughter of Marvin and Nina (Schroeder) Merrill, in rural Stanton County, northeast of Johnson.

She was a lifetime resident of Stanton County. She attended eight years of elementary school at the one-room Fletcher schoolhouse, graduated Stanton County High School with the class of 1945, and Central Business College of Denver, Colorado in 1946. She returned to Johnson where she began her 47 year career at the Johnson State Bank until she retired in April 1993.

She married Gerald Nickell on December 23, 1950. Three children were born to this marriage of 631/2 years.

In addition to her career at The Johnson State Bank, she was a bookkeeper for Nickell Construction, a family-owned soil conservation contracting business for 13 years. She received recognition from the General Conference of The Wesleyan Church in 2005 and Fields Memorial Wesleyan Church in 2008 for serving as Sunday School Secretary/Treasure for more than 50 years. Betty and Gerald were recognized as Pioneers of the Year in 2011.

Besides being a devoted wife, mother and homemaker; she enjoyed being active in her church, reading, gardening, family activities, seeing her friends at the Senior Center, and playing Bingo with them.

She is survived by her husband, Gerald; her daughter and son-in-law, Joyce and Cecil Meyer of Perryton, Texas; her son, Wayne of St. Charles, Illinois; sister, Marvina Gold of Springfield, Colorado; brother and sister-in-law, Harvey and Sue Merrill of Springfield, Colorado; sister and brother-in-law, Maribeth and Ed Towns of Alva, Oklahoma; sisters-in-law, Zelma Prewitt of Duncan, Oklahoma, Josie Nickell of Woodland, California, Priscilla Guinn of McAlester, Oklahoma, Aquila Lee of Sublette, Kansas, Dean Walker of Arlington, Texas; grandchildren, Chad Nickell of Ulysses, Kansas, Chase Nickell of Mount Hope, Kansas, Alisha Meyer of Johnson, Kansas, Larin Nickell of Trevor, Wisconsin; and a host of cousins, nieces and nephews.

Betty is preceded in death by her parents, a son, Harold; brother, Marvin Jr.; and a sister, Zellamaye Burkenbine.

Funeral service will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, July 25, 2014 at the Fields Memorial Wesleyan Church in Johnson, Kansas with Reverend Kurt Rovenstine officiating. Interment will follow at the Stanton County Cemetery in Johnson, Kansas. Friends may call from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM on Thursday, July 24, 2014 at Garnand Funeral Home in Johnson. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be given to the Fields Memorial Wesleyan Church to support the ministry of World Hope International in care of Garnand Funeral Home, PO Box 715, Johnson, Kansas 67855.