Ruth Elaine Nickel

Ruth Elaine Nickel, 71, of Bristol, died on July 19 at her home in Whispering Valley addition after extended treatment for cancer and three months of home visits
by personnel from Goshen Home Care and Hospice.
She was born on September 16, 1942 in Elkhart, Indiana, to Herbert and Jeanette Marquardt. She graduated from Elkhart High School in 1960.
She married Beryle (John) Kinsey in 1961. They had three children, Renee, James (Jim), and Amy.
Following a divorce, she married James (Jim) Nickel in 1986. He survives, along with her daughters, Renee Doty of Elkhart and Amy (Cory) Hunnicut of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a grand-daughter, Ivy Hunnicut, and a sister, Shirley Foster of Muncie, Indiana. Also surviving are four step-children, Naomi Greene of Bristol, Kimberly (John) Gallagher of Goshen, Thomas (Stacey) Nickel of Bristol and Sarah (Tim) Myers of Elkhart and eight step-grandchildren.
Ruth’s son, Jim Kinsey, died of leukemia in 1991. She was also predeceased by her parents, an infant sister, Marilyn, a sister, Sharon (Harold) Waterman of Wallingford, Connecticut, and a brother-in-law, Robert (Shirley) Foster.
A life-long Lutheran, Ruth was an active member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Goshen, serving as the coordinator of its Altar Guild, the chairman of its Beautification Committee, and a member of its Building Committee.
Ruth worked in the office of Penske Truck Leasing in Elkhart for 17 years before her retirement in 2008. She enjoyed traveling, especially extended trips to Texas and the Mountain West, and to Philadelphia. Her hobbies included cookig, shopping for antiques and home decorating.
Visitation will be from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 22 at the Stemm-Lawson-Peterson Funeral Home in Elkhart and one hour before the funeral service at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 23 at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 18548 CR 18, four miles north of Goshen. Burial will follow at Rice Cemetery in Elkhart.
Memorial contributions may be given to the Building Fund of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Goshen. An online guestbook can be found at www.stemmlawsonpeterson.com