Constance Mae “Connie” DeRuse Nicol, 72, of Marysville, died on her birthday Monday, Nov. 6, 2017, surrounded by her loving family following a courageous battle with kidney cancer.
Following her birth, her family briefly moved to Missouri, but since she was 5 years old, she lived in Ohio. She was baptized on April 9, 1950, at Plain City United Methodist Church. She attended Chuckery Darby School through the ninth grade and graduated from Fairbanks High School in 1963. She participated in 4H, marching band, cheerleading and FHA.
She married the love of her life, Gene Nicol, on June 14, 1964, at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, where she also confirmed her faith. Since then, she served on many committees at the church, including the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League. She volunteered for the American Heart Association and the Red Cross Bloodmobile. Aside from her bookkeeping duties for the family business, Nicol Plumbing, her career included working at Kroger, Producer’s Livestock, Farmers Insurance, O.M. Scott & Sons, Der Dutchman and Dublin Coffman High School. She was also involved in the O.C.C.L. and has remained friends with many of those women spanning five decades.
She retired from St. John’s Lutheran School, where she was an assistant cook. She worked hard to know her Lord, always saying she was a “work in progress.” A friend to all, she was always ready for what was on the other side of hope. She was available to help without being asked and prayed that her legacy would be her family and all the good things they would contribute to the world.
Her greatest joy was spending time with her husband, Gene, and her family, whether traveling or working together outside. They traveled to 40 states and 16 countries throughout their years together, including their most recent trip to France in September, 2016. She enjoyed going to school activities and sporting events. Cooking large dinners and being surrounded by her immediate family for holidays brought her great happiness.
“And all will be well,” were her final words of encouragement to all of those she loved.
She was born on Nov. 6, 1945, in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, to the late D.C. and Emma Mae Bailey DeRuse. In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by her half-brothers and half-sisters, Robert DeRuse, Norma and Carleton Greene, Cles and Richard Heasley and Carl and June DeRuse; two nieces; a nephew; all of her aunts, uncles and cousins; and father-in-law, Pearl M.J. Nicol.
She is survived by her devoted husband of 53 years, Eugene G.R. “Gene” Nicol; daughters, Kathy (Steve) Francis and Julie (Jason) Becker, both of Plain City, and Dawn (Rick) Myers of Springfield; grandchildren, Megan and Daniel Myers, Jessica and Alex Francis and Andrew and Austin Becker; nephews, Rick (Ginny) Heasley, Barry (Barb) Heasley and Randy DeRuse; mother-in-law, Lucia Nicol; brothers-and sisters-in-law, Roger (Barb) Nicol, Larry (Anita) Nicol, Fred (Kathryn) Nicol and Tom (Pat) Nicol; numerous nieces and nephews and their families; and countless loving and supportive friends.
The family will receive friends from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at Underwood Funeral Home. The Rev. Jacob D. Heino will officiate funeral services at 2:30 p.m. Friday at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church. Burial will folllow at the church cemetery. Her pallbearers will be Daniel Myers, Andrew Becker, Alex Francis, Austin Becker, Gary Scheiderer and Marty Nicol. Her honorary pallbearers will be Rick Myers, Steve Francis, Jason Becker, Rick Heasley, Barry Heasley and Randy DeRuse.
Memorial contributions may be made to Loving Care Hospice or Kidney Cancer Research Fund at The Ohio State University James Cancer Hospital. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.underwoodfuneralhome.com.