Mary Fern Nichols, age 81, of Brownwood, passed away Sunday, February 13, 2022, at Hendrick Hospice in Abilene.

Graveside services will be held at 11 am on Wednesday, February 16, in the Greenleaf Cemetery in Brownwood with Phillip Herring officiating. Burial will follow under the direction of Heritage Funeral Home. Visitation will be held from 6 – 7:30 pm at Heritage Funeral Home, Davis-Morris Chapel.

She was born December 1, 1940, In Wapanucka, Oregon, the daughter of Jake and Ada (Layland) Shaver. She was married to Don Nichols on August 7, 1972. He preceded her in death. She worked as a nurse’s aide for many years working at the Plantation Nursing Home, Care Inc., and Songbird Lodge. She loved to cook and was known to have done it well. She enjoyed drinking coffee and visiting with friends and family and watching three games of football on Sundays. One of her accomplishments was obtaining her driver’s license in 1990 after driving for more than 30 years without one and never receiving a citation. She was a Baptist.

She is survived by her children, Tonya Walters of Brownwood, Sheila Cadena of Brownwood, Donald Nichols, Jr., of Brownwood, and Billy Godwin and wife Tammie of Early, her brother, Ralph Shaver of Mineral Wells, a sister, Charlene Herring and husband Phillip of Romance, Arkansas. Also surviving are 14 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, 2 daughters, Sherry and Corlene Nichols, 3 brothers, Truman, Donald, and J. T.