Violet Elizabeth Nikolaus died, peacefully, in the early morning hours of Friday, July 20, 2018, at her home in Show Low from causes incident to her age. She was 97 years old. The public visitation and friends’ calling will be from 6 to 8 p.m., on Sunday, July 29, at Owens Livingston Mortuary White Mountain Chapel, located at 320 N. 9th St., in Show Low. The funeral service will begin at 10 a.m. on Monday, July 30, at the Downtown Chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where additional visitation will begin one hour prior. The concluding service and interment will immediately follow at the Show Low Cemetery where Elizabeth will be laid to rest alongside her eternal companion, Lamar. She was known as “Elizabeth” to everyone she knew and loved, although some of them called her “Mom” and “Grandma.” Elizabeth was born on Monday, Nov. 29, 1920, in Taylor to her parents, the late James Arthur and Violet (Colbath) Lewis. She married her forever sweetheart, William Lamar Nikolaus on Feb. 6, 1940, in the Mesa Arizona Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Sadly, in June of 1992, Lamar died after nearly 52 years of marriage. She and her husband were wonderful parents to their six children, Gerry Wynn, deceased (Joyce nee Clark) Nikolaus, Gerald Lamar (Jolene) Nikolaus, Geraldine (Harry Lynn) Hall, Darrell Leland “D.L.” Nikolaus, Lorraine (Ed, deceased) Dowdle and Dale Ray (Nola nee Law) Nikolaus. She taught her children, through her example, how to follow the Lord’s admonition of loving one another, as theirs was a tight-knit and close family. Along with her husband, Elizabeth was co-owner of their family business, Nick’s Market in Show Low. It was the place to shop in town. She worked tirelessly to help it become the successful business that it was. She was the bookkeeper and possessed incredible organization skills that helped keep the family business thriving, where Nick’s Market was one of Show Low’s mainstays, for decades. Her children all learned to make an honest living by the “sweat of their own brow” through the example that she and Lamar set for them. Elizabeth is survived by her children; 37 grandchildren, 94 great-grandchildren and 25 great-great-grandchildren; and sisters, Louise Woolford and Lotus Stott.
Along with her husband and son, she was preceded in death by her grandson, Steven Kent Nikolaus; and a great-granddaughter, Megan Nicole Hall.
Owens Livingston Mortuary White Mountain Chapel of Show Low handled the arrangements.
