Leona Ethel Nickel, of Andover, MN, formerly of Mountain Lake, MN, died Saturday, June 2, 2018 surrounded by her family. Services will be held Friday, June 8, 2018, at 1 PM with a visitation one hour prior at the Constance Evangelical Free Church in Andover, MN with interment at the Cornerstone Cemetery in Mountain Lake.

Leona Ethel Schroeder was born on July 5, 1926 to Peter W. and Susie (Becker) Schroeder in Dolton, South Dakota. She graduated from Mountain Lake High School with high honors and then Goshen College in Goshen, IN with a Bachelor Degree in Education. She taught and shared her tender care in elementary schools in Mountain Lake, MN, Elkart, IN and Anoka, MN and several daycare centers for many years after that.

She was married to Gerhard H. Nickel on December 27, 1946 in Mountain Lake, MN. They spent the first years of their marriage attending college at Goshen, IN and lived in Jackson, MN and Anoka, MN where they raised their family of 7. They both taught in the public schools.

She is survived by three sons, Douglas (Denise) Nickel of Andover, MN, Timothy (Vicki) Nickel of Coon Rapids, MN and Patrick (Diane) Nickel of Lakeville, MN and also by four daughters, Krista (Arnold) Adamczyk of Rogers, MN, Rhonda (Keith) Rischer of Andover, MN, Andrea (Timothy) Knutsen of St. Paul, MN and Marcia (Jon) Stam of Andover, MN. She is also survived by 1 brother, Dennis, 20 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Gerhard, in 1996; also 4 sisters, Alvina, Linda, Elsa and Delphe, and 9 brothers, Jacob, William, Peter, David, Sylvester, Leander, Clifford and Harley.

Graveside memorial will be a Cornerstone Cemetery in Mountain Lake, MN on Monday, June 11, 2018 at 1 PM.