Murlene Collins was born near Laverne, Oklahoma on January 21, 1927, daughter of Christopher Cornelius Collins and Etta Bertha (Heinz) Collins.
Murlene resided with her family in the panhandle of Oklahoma during the dust bowl years, then the family moved to a farm near Caney, Kansas. Murlene graduated from Caney High School and continued on to Pittsburg Teacher's College in Pittsburg, Kansas.
Murlene taught in a one-room school near Havana, Kansas, and then moved to Bartlesville, Oklahoma, where she worked briefly for Phillips Petroleum Company. She married her husband, Robert Charles Nickels, in 1946.
Murlene worked as a creative homemaker for the family for many years. She later worked for a while in retail sales. Murlene had many hobbies, painting, sewing, gardening and reading. She was a porcelain painter, belonging to the Bartlesville Porcelain Painters Guild, serving as president one year and giving lessons to the members from time to time. One of her porcelain pieces was chosen for display in the Oklahoma State Capitol Building, and she was awarded many grand champion and first prize ribbons in the Washington County Fair over the years. Murlene volunteered many years as an election official for her voting precinct.
After retirement, Murlene and her husband, Bob, traveled extensively. In 2012 Murlene moved to Aurora, Colorado to be near a daughter.
Murlene and her family were involved members of the First Baptist Church in Bartlesville for many years; she taught Sunday School for three-year olds, ninth graders and Senior Adults at different times, as well as working with the church bus ministry and Bible schools.
Murlene is survived by three daughters, Reverend Susan Greenwood of Aurora, Colorado; Marilyn Phoenix of Norman, Oklahoma; and Carolyn and Gary Wallain of Anderson, Missouri. She was the proud grandmother of six grandchildren and great-grandmother of twenty-five great grandchildren.
Murlene was preceded in death in 2008 by her husband of 63 years, Bob Nickels, and in 2012 by her daughter, Gay Matthews.
Stumpff Funeral Home
Murlene resided with her family in the panhandle of Oklahoma during the dust bowl years, then the family moved to a farm near Caney, Kansas. Murlene graduated from Caney High School and continued on to Pittsburg Teacher's College in Pittsburg, Kansas.
Murlene taught in a one-room school near Havana, Kansas, and then moved to Bartlesville, Oklahoma, where she worked briefly for Phillips Petroleum Company. She married her husband, Robert Charles Nickels, in 1946.
Murlene worked as a creative homemaker for the family for many years. She later worked for a while in retail sales. Murlene had many hobbies, painting, sewing, gardening and reading. She was a porcelain painter, belonging to the Bartlesville Porcelain Painters Guild, serving as president one year and giving lessons to the members from time to time. One of her porcelain pieces was chosen for display in the Oklahoma State Capitol Building, and she was awarded many grand champion and first prize ribbons in the Washington County Fair over the years. Murlene volunteered many years as an election official for her voting precinct.
After retirement, Murlene and her husband, Bob, traveled extensively. In 2012 Murlene moved to Aurora, Colorado to be near a daughter.
Murlene and her family were involved members of the First Baptist Church in Bartlesville for many years; she taught Sunday School for three-year olds, ninth graders and Senior Adults at different times, as well as working with the church bus ministry and Bible schools.
Murlene is survived by three daughters, Reverend Susan Greenwood of Aurora, Colorado; Marilyn Phoenix of Norman, Oklahoma; and Carolyn and Gary Wallain of Anderson, Missouri. She was the proud grandmother of six grandchildren and great-grandmother of twenty-five great grandchildren.
Murlene was preceded in death in 2008 by her husband of 63 years, Bob Nickels, and in 2012 by her daughter, Gay Matthews.
Stumpff Funeral Home
Murlene Collins was born near Laverne, Oklahoma on January 21, 1927, daughter of Christopher Cornelius Collins and Etta Bertha (Heinz) Collins.
Murlene resided with her family in the panhandle of Oklahoma during the dust bowl years, then the family moved to a farm near Caney, Kansas. Murlene graduated from Caney High School and continued on to Pittsburg Teacher's College in Pittsburg, Kansas.
Murlene taught in a one-room school near Havana, Kansas, and then moved to Bartlesville, Oklahoma, where she worked briefly for Phillips Petroleum Company. She married her husband, Robert Charles Nickels, in 1946.
Murlene worked as a creative homemaker for the family for many years. She later worked for a while in retail sales. Murlene had many hobbies, painting, sewing, gardening and reading. She was a porcelain painter, belonging to the Bartlesville Porcelain Painters Guild, serving as president one year and giving lessons to the members from time to time. One of her porcelain pieces was chosen for display in the Oklahoma State Capitol Building, and she was awarded many grand champion and first prize ribbons in the Washington County Fair over the years. Murlene volunteered many years as an election official for her voting precinct.
After retirement, Murlene and her husband, Bob, traveled extensively. In 2012 Murlene moved to Aurora, Colorado to be near a daughter.
Murlene and her family were involved members of the First Baptist Church in Bartlesville for many years; she taught Sunday School for three-year olds, ninth graders and Senior Adults at different times, as well as working with the church bus ministry and Bible schools.
Murlene is survived by three daughters, Reverend Susan Greenwood of Aurora, Colorado; Marilyn Phoenix of Norman, Oklahoma; and Carolyn and Gary Wallain of Anderson, Missouri. She was the proud grandmother of six grandchildren and great-grandmother of twenty-five great grandchildren.
Murlene was preceded in death in 2008 by her husband of 63 years, Bob Nickels, and in 2012 by her daughter, Gay Matthews.
Stumpff Funeral Home
Murlene resided with her family in the panhandle of Oklahoma during the dust bowl years, then the family moved to a farm near Caney, Kansas. Murlene graduated from Caney High School and continued on to Pittsburg Teacher's College in Pittsburg, Kansas.
Murlene taught in a one-room school near Havana, Kansas, and then moved to Bartlesville, Oklahoma, where she worked briefly for Phillips Petroleum Company. She married her husband, Robert Charles Nickels, in 1946.
Murlene worked as a creative homemaker for the family for many years. She later worked for a while in retail sales. Murlene had many hobbies, painting, sewing, gardening and reading. She was a porcelain painter, belonging to the Bartlesville Porcelain Painters Guild, serving as president one year and giving lessons to the members from time to time. One of her porcelain pieces was chosen for display in the Oklahoma State Capitol Building, and she was awarded many grand champion and first prize ribbons in the Washington County Fair over the years. Murlene volunteered many years as an election official for her voting precinct.
After retirement, Murlene and her husband, Bob, traveled extensively. In 2012 Murlene moved to Aurora, Colorado to be near a daughter.
Murlene and her family were involved members of the First Baptist Church in Bartlesville for many years; she taught Sunday School for three-year olds, ninth graders and Senior Adults at different times, as well as working with the church bus ministry and Bible schools.
Murlene is survived by three daughters, Reverend Susan Greenwood of Aurora, Colorado; Marilyn Phoenix of Norman, Oklahoma; and Carolyn and Gary Wallain of Anderson, Missouri. She was the proud grandmother of six grandchildren and great-grandmother of twenty-five great grandchildren.
Murlene was preceded in death in 2008 by her husband of 63 years, Bob Nickels, and in 2012 by her daughter, Gay Matthews.
Stumpff Funeral Home
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