William J. (Bill) Nikkel, 97, formerly of Pella, passed away Sunday evening, Mar. 16, 2025, in Muskegon, MI.
Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, Mar. 22, at Calvary Christian Reformed Church, Pella. Interment was in Oakwood Cemetery, Pella, with military honors. Memorial contributions may be designated for Christian schools.
Bill was born near Kellogg at the farm home where his family lived. He grew up helping on the family farm and attended Sully Christian School. After graduation, Bill helped by working on the family farm and also developed a woodworking business. Bill was drafted into the United States Army in 1950 and received a medical discharge in 1952.
That same year, Bill proposed to Lillian Geels, and they were married on June 5, 1952, and had eight children over the next several years. He farmed near Sully for nine years. Then he opened a couple of small businesses, one in Newton called "Bill’s Do It Yourself Hardware Store" and later started “Bills Floor and Wall Service.” Bill was a master woodworker and developed a woodworking business. He worked with various types of wood, turning them into beautiful works of art and taught many of his children the trade. He made beautiful grandfather clocks for each of his eight children, which they cherish. He also made beautiful lamps, shelves, and Intarsia, which are displayed in most of his children’s homes. Of course, he made lovely wooden rocking horses for he and Lillian’s grandchildren. Bill was also a bird watcher and made many bird houses for the beautiful birds in his own backyard.
Eventually Bill and Lillian moved with the kids to Pella where he joined the Moorman’s Feed Company team where he worked for 20 years until he retired in 1989. Bill was always a man of strong faith who worked hard to model his faith in God for his children, sending them to Newton Christian Day School and Pella Christian Schools.
He loved the outdoors and enjoyed camping with his family, traveling each summer to many states around the country. After retirement, Bill continued traveling with Lillian to visit their children and their grandchildren and great-grandchildren scattered around the United States.
Preceding Bill in passing on to Eternity were his parents, brothers, and some sisters that include his father Henry Nikkel, his mother Bertha (Sjaardema) Nikkel, brothers Dewey Nikkel and his wife Betty, and brother Robert Nikkel, as well as his sisters Kathleen and husband Charles Fopma, and Joyce and husband Gilbert Bandstra.
Surviving in Bill’s immediate family are his sister and brother-in-law Jean and Verland Engle as well as sister-in-law Joyce (Robert) Nikkel. Also surviving are Lillian’s sisters Barb (Stan) Cole, Betty (Lee) Lefebre; brother John (Linda) Geels; and sister-in-law Gretta (Chester) Geels.
Preceding him in death were Lillian’s parents Rev. John and Betty Geels, her brothers Nelson Geels and wife Doris, Chester Geels, and brother-in-law Stan Cole.
Also surviving are his wife Lillian and their eight children: Philip (B.J.-Betty June) Nikkel of Loveland, CO, Keith (Linda) Nikkel of Spring Lake, MI, Mark (Becky) Nikkel of Longmont, CO, Eric “Rick” (Leanne) Nikkel of Philomath, OR, Paul (Martha) Nikkel of Lester Prairie, MN, Laurie (Jim) Arrendell of Otley, Jaci (Kevin) Van Zee, and Thomas Nikkel of Denver, CO; 25 grandchildren; and 45 great-grandchildren.
