Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death.
Reva Elaine Nickell (Tanner) 96, was born in Burley, Idaho, to Lee D. and Reva Tanner (Young) on July 11, 1929. She died Sept. 8, 2025, at Columbia Basin Care Center in The Dalles, Oregon.
The eldest of nine children, she grew up in Cascade Locks, Oregon, where she attended both grade school and high school. On July 18, 1948, she married John Lewis Nickell. The couple lived in Hood River, Oregon, for several years where they raised their six children. After their children left home, they moved to The Dalles. The couple had three natural children and three foster children they raised from a very young age. They were accepted and loved as their own. They became a blended family, with only five years separating all six children — a blended wonderful chaos with lots of laughter and more chaos. Elaine worked as a nurses aid in both Hood River and The Dalles hospitals for many years, until she hurt her back. She decided, upon her husband’s request, to stay home and be a housewife. After her husband passed, she worked for senior services taking care of “old people” (her words). She was 80.
Elaine had an artistic side. She made beautiful candles that she gave away at Christmas and birthdays or just because. She loved to knit and crochet and made many doilies and tablecloths. She knitted many sweaters for her children and grandchildren. She also tried her hand at painting. Elaine and John also had a daycare where they found their true calling and where they both shined. They were known as grandma and grandpa by all of them.
Many of those children stayed in contact long after they grew up. You were always welcome. No appointment needed. Just pop in and we will set another plate. Elaine was the epitome of unconditional love and forgiveness.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Lee D. and Reva Tanner, her husband of 52 years John Nickell, her son Robert O.D. Nickell, and four sisters and two brothers. She is survived by three sons, John L. Nickell Jr. (Doreen), Leonard South (Patty), and Larry South; two daughters, Mayrie Welp (Cris) and Deborah Davis (Stuart); 10 grandchildren, Shawn(Tina), Kevin (Jenny), Shelly (Christian), Lacey (Brian) Laura, Patt, Bryan, Jennifer, Gabe (Brooke) and Chelsea (Josh); one sister, Ida Lee Calmer; and one brother Wilford Tanner. She is also survived by numerous great-grandchildren and nieces and nephews.
A viewing will be held on Sept. 25 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Sept. 26 from 9-11a.m. Graveside services will be held at Odd Fellows Cemetery on Cherry Heights Road, The Dalles, on Friday Sept. 26 at 1 p.m. Arrangements are in care of Spencer, Libby and Powell. In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations made to Dementia Society of America, dementiasociety.org.
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
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Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.