Lynn Marie Nichols' Obituary
Lynn Marie Nichols
November 22, 1943 ~ August 18, 2008
Lynn was born in Detroit Michigan in 1943 to her parents Carroll & Carl Jester, Jr., while he was serving in the US Navy. Her parents were divorced when she was very young. She moved with her mother to the west where most of the family had emigrated to Phoenix, Arizona and Southern California.
Lynn's mother married Gene Archer. The family lived in many locations in Southern California including San Diego and Long Beach. Brother, Mike Archer was born in 1953. Shortly after, the family decided to move to Oregon and settle in the Bend area where Lynn had a pony! The later moved to Portland and lYnn attended Washington High School followed by Wilson High School where she graduated n 1961.
She started attending Lewis & Clark College where she met her future husband, Roger Nichols. Roger had a very serous vehicle accident with a train which caused their wedding date and plans to be moved to 1963. And so their marriage and life began together.
While Roger was the Lewis & Clark campus logger, they started their first building advnture. The moved a dorm building off the Lewis & Clark Campus a short distance onto Terwillger Boulevard where they converted it into and apartment building. In 1964, they found the property in Columbia County and over theyears, it became the tree farm that they expanded as more property became available.
Roger had always wanted to have a foster home and work program for high school age kids. They would call it Teen Trees Incoorporated . So began thier new adventure. Living in a 16 foot travel trailer for 5 years, they eventually had a bedroom and bunkhouse area upstairs in the Red Barn they had built near Apiary Road out of Rainier.
They began having "foster kids" right away. They moved a trailer onto the property with another beside it for a bunkhouse. Lyunn was cook, clothes washer, just general "mom" and backup to Roger. The family at one point was 12 strong plus a young couple who came to live and work with them. Dinner brought 7 to the kitchen table and 5 on the couch with TV trays. Lynn and Roger had no time for boredom in their lives. They took in 75 foster kids from 1964 to 1988.
Lynn loved all of God's critters, tame and wild. She especially enjoyed her cats and watching birds come to the feeders she had provided. She loved gardening, watching, her grandsons growing up and being boys, reading mysteries, and spending time at the beach. She also enjoyed doing remodeling projects around her home. She was very creative and a hard worker. She also enjoyed photography.
Preceding Lynn in death was her beloved husband Roger in 1993.
She is survived by Dan, Angelle, Daniel, and Noah Kloppman and by her brother, Mike Archer of Yakima, Washington and nieces, Jenell and Melissa. Also two aunts, Nedra Mainers and Nancy Waller with their extended families in San Diego and sister in law, Billie Hoving of British Columbia and Alan Nichols of the Phillipines with their families.
Lynn leaves behind a humble legacy of giving of her time, talents and kindness to others. She was blessing to people near and half a world away.
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