Martha J. Nichols

Martha Joann Nichols, a long time Emida area resident, died Thursday, April 26, 2018, at Good Samaritan Moscow Village. She was 92. Martha was born March 30, 1926, at home in Crook County, Wyoming to Francis M. (Frank) and Jennie May Murphey Ownbey. She grew up and attended school in Hulett, WY, and graduated from Wheatland High School. She attended Washington State College (now WSU) for a time before she returned to Wyoming and was married to Kenneth Nichols in Belle Fourche, South Dakota on December 27, 1945. They made their home in Hulett until moving to Moscow, ID, in 1953. Martha enrolled at the University of Idaho and attended for a time. They purchased a small farm in the Robinson Lake area. In 1966, they sold their Moscow farm and moved to Emida, ID, where they owned and operated a cattle ranch. She enjoyed her life there, cattle ranching, feeding the birds, working in her flower gardens, and watching the wildlife. Her husband of 54 years, Kenneth, died in 1999. She continued to make her home on the ranch until moving to Harvard to be with her daughter, Janet, for a time and had been at Good Samaritan in Moscow since 2014. Martha is survived by her daughters, Janet Gilliam of Harvard, ID, and Susan (Jim) Line of Omak, WA. She also leaves 5 grandchildren, Cindy (Russel) Miles of Weippe, ID, Wendy Gilliam of Spokane, WA, Amy (Daniel) Carwile of Lexington, KY, Tina (Adam) Yackley of Portland, OR, and Scott (Debbie) Line of Boise, ID, 12 great grandchildren, and 2 great great grandchildren. In addition to her husband and parents, Martha was also preceded in death by a son-in-law, Gary Gilliam, a grandson, Chip Gilliam, 4 brothers, and 3 sisters. A graveside service will be held at 2:00 PM on Friday, May 4, at the Woodfell Cemetery near Harvard. Her nephew, Dennis Ownbey, will officiate, and a dinner for family and friends will follow at the Princeton Community Center. The family suggests that memorials be made to the Humane Society or to the Alzheimer's Association. Arrangements have been entrusted to Short's Funeral Chapel, Moscow, and online condolences may be sent to www.shortsfuneralchapel.net.

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