Frank A. Nichols

Frank Arthur Nichols, age 96, died in peace at the Rochester, MN home of his son and daughter-in-law on November 18, 2020. Frank, the first of two sons born to Quaife and Nellie Nichols, was born on April 10, 1924 in the bedroom of their farmhouse in rural Bremer County, Iowa. Frank and his brother, Roger, grew up on the family farm near Waverly, Iowa during the Great Depression. During his grade school years, Frank rode his pony to and from a one-room schoolhouse two miles down the road from his home. Frank graduated from Waverly High School in 1942. He then attended Iowa State University, milking cows in a dairy barn every day at 3 am to help pay for his room and board. After one year at Iowa State, Frank was drafted into the Army Air Corps. He spent much of his time in the military stateside in Army hospitals after contracting rheumatic heart disease. After his honorable discharge, Frank decided to take full advantage of the GI Bill. He enrolled in Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa. There he met his future bride, Aileen Pfeiffer, a city girl from Chicago. They were married in June 1951 and had three sons, Doug (Bobbi) residing in Rochester, MN, John (Sara) in Iowa City, IA, and Craig (Kari) in Zumbrota, MN. After graduating with a degree in Sociology from Cornell College, Frank attended Iowa State University and received a Masters degree in Agricultural Economics. Still not feeling he had found his niche in life, Frank decided to pursue the ministry and attended Yale Divinity School in New Haven, CT. He graduated from Yale with a Masters of Divinity in 1955 and decided to return to Iowa and become a pastoral minister in the Iowa Conference of the Methodist Church. During a long and distinguished career as a Methodist and later United Methodist pastor in Iowa, Frank served churches in Sheffield, Sibley, Eldora, Clinton and Davenport and held leadership administrative positions in Creston and Des Moines. Frank was an active liaison between the Iowa conference and the Methodist-affiliated colleges in Iowa. He received honorary doctorate degrees from Simpson College and Morningside College and served on the Board of Trustees of his alma mater, Cornell College. Frank also served on the executive board of the United Methodist Committee on Relief, allowing him to take many international trips to developing countries in Africa, Latin and South America, and the Caribbean. After retirement, Frank and Aileen moved to Rochester, MN where Frank remained active in church and civic organizations up until the time of his death. After nearly 56 years of a happy and blessed marriage, Aileen passed away in 2007. After Aileen's passing, Frank rekindled an old college romance with Helen Sanborn and they were married in 2008. Helen survives and currently resides in memory care at The Homestead in Rochester. Frank was preceded in death by his parents Quaife and Nellie, brother Roger, wife Aileen and infant grandson, David. He is survived by his second wife, Helen, his three sons and their wives, and six grandchildren, Leah (San Francisco), Katie (Luxembourg), James (Iowa City), Joshua (Cedar Falls), Linnea (Tucson), and Kyra (Concordia College in Morehead). Frank loved and lived life to the fullest and was always in wonderment of God's love and grace and the beauty of Creation. He was known for his unquestionable integrity and was a devoted son, brother, husband, father and grandfather. He adored his seven grandchildren and was their unfailing advocate. He enjoyed traveling, sailing and listening to classical music, and played golf into his 90's. Most of all he enjoyed reading. His favorite reading topics were theology, history, biographies and current events. Frank's family wishes to express great appreciation and thankfulness for the kind compassion granted to him and his family during his final days by his many friends and acquaintances. In particular, we are grateful for the care bestowed to Frank by Mayo Hospice, his personal physician, Dr. Thomas Jaeger, and Franks "best personal pastor of all time", Rev. Elizabeth Macaulay. A Celebration of Life service will occur at Christ United Methodist church in Rochester when it is safe to do so after the pandemic. The family suggests memorials be given to the Christ United Methodist Church Foundation in Rochester or to the charity of your choice. Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Nichols family; to share a special memory or condolence please visit www.ranfranzandvinefh.com