Cover photo for William A. Nicoll's Obituary
William A. Nicoll Profile Photo

William A. Nicoll

d. February 20, 2020

William A. Nicoll

William A. Nicoll, 100, of Frankfort, joined his Lord February 20, 2020 at Wesley Manor.  He was born in 1919 in Owatonna, Minnesota to William R. and Nellie (Loomis) Nicoll.  He married Mary Louise Howard in 1942; she preceded him in death in 1981. He subsequently married Ruth (Laque) Bruehl in 1983; she preceded him in death in 2011.

William graduated from DePauw University & Boston Theological Seminary. He also attended Harvard. He was a veteran of WWII earning a Bronze Star as a 1st Lieutenant serving in the Army Medical Corp. He was a United Methodist minister for churches in the following cities in Illinois: Evergreen Park, Zion, Oregon, South Lawn in Chicago, Prophetstown-where he supervised construction of a new church, Stockton-where he supervised construction of an education wing, Rockford and churches in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, before retiring after 36 years of service. William was a member of St. Matthew United Methodist Church and sang in the choir. He was a president of family counsel at Wesley Manor, a member of Singing Saints, videotaped chapel services until his100th birthday, past president of Rotary in Evergreen Park, Ill., and was a chairman and helped organize Waukegan Crisis Intervention Hotline, Contact, in the 1970’s. In Oregon he helped establish Blackhawk retirement apartments, and volunteer ambulance service, serving as a driver/attendant. While serving in the Rock River Conference in Northern Illinois, William served on committees to secure insurance and pensions for pastors. William served his god faithfully, shepherded his family and his congregations, pursued equality and justice, and supported causes to save nature and the planet.

William is survived by his children; Dale William (Marilyn) Nicoll of Concord, California and Jane (Dr. Carl) Nicoll Stover of Park Forest, Ill.; step-children; Dr. Richard A. Bruehl (Nancy Stott) of Brentwood, Tenn., Step daughter-in-law Ellen Bruehl, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, nephew James Zartman of Chicago, and brother and sister-in-law John & Ann Howard, Mt. Vernon, IL.; five grandsons, 4 great grandchildren, 11 step-grandchildren, and 12 step-great grandchildren and many loving nieces and nephews.

Along with his wives, he was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Corwin, and sisters, Louvinia Zartman and Josephine Broholm, stepdaughter, Marcia Kauten, stepson, Robert A. Bruehl II, nephews, Harvey Zartman and Corwin “Bob” Nicoll II, and nieces, Grace and Nancy Nicoll and Sandra Zartman Nason.

Visitation will be Saturday, March 14, 2020 from 10:30 a.m. until the start of the memorial service at 11:00 a.m. at Grace United Protestant Church, 266 Somonauk Street, Park Forest, Illinois.  An earlier service was held on March 4, 2020 in Frankfort, IN.

The family requests that no floral arrangements be sent but memorial contributions may be made in William’s honor to Wesley Manor, 1555 N. Main St. Frankfort, IN 46041.

Online condolences may be made at www.gendafuneralhome.com

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of William A. Nicoll, please visit our flower store.

Past Services

Memorial Gathering

Saturday, March 14, 2020

10:30 - 11:00 am (Eastern time)

Grace United Protestant Church

, Park Forest, IL 60466

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Memorial Service

Saturday, March 14, 2020

Starts at 11:00 am (Eastern time)

Grace United Protestant Church

, Park Forest, IL 60466

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

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