Anita Louise Nickel, a sister, mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away on April 22, 2021 at the age of 70, after a long and courageous battle with her health.
Born Anita Louise Doyle on January 9, 1951 in Hot Springs, Arkansas, the daughter of William T. Doyle, Jr. and Edwina Doyle Sarracino. As a child, she moved with her family to Kansas City, where she made a home and graduated from Southwest High School.
Anita was many things in her life, always following her passions and impulses. She was an amazing artist and always had a good eye. That skill led to her career as a photographer and District Manager for CPI and Sears Portrait Studios, a job she held for over 25 years.
She was a collector and she always went all-in. Hopefully you had a chance to see her enormous cabinets filled with porcelain dolls and angels. If you’ve ever wondered who ordered those fully articulated dolls that looked like Princess Diana Jackii O, that was her. She loved that stuff. For a while she had a house full of birds, like actual, real birds. It was crazy.
But that was who she was, all-in and then onto the next adventure, or a casino.
Anita was always a free spirit and her home was always full of life. There was always music in the air. She was always cooking or baking. She made a mean chocolate chip cookie back in the day. Holidays were always amazing. She would go all out to make sure here kids and her grandkids had a good Christmas, had full stockings and plenty to eat.
In her heart, Anita always put family first. She is preceded in passing by her husband Jack. She leaves behind sisters Sue Lavery (Lenexa), Patricia Furrow and her husband, John (Cameron Park, Ca.), and Nancy Scott (Reno, NV); her brother, Bobby Doyle and his wife, Phyllis (Overland Park); and joins her parents, her brother Mike in the great beyond.
Anita knew her faults, her strengths and weaknesses. But she’d probably tell you the best thing she ever did was being a mom. Her legacy lives on through her four children, Timothy (Merriam, Ks.) Tricia (Santa Fe, NM), Nancy (Raymore, Mo.) and her step-daughter, Julia (Lenexa, Ks.).
She found a renewed passion in life when she became a Grandma. She leaves behind 10 grandchildren – Nancy’s kids: Haleigh, Katie, Lauren, Graycn, and Max; Tricia’s daughter, Chloe; Tim’s kids: Nicolas, Owen, and Zoe; and Julia’ son, Jack.
A private Celebration of Life will be held for family and close friends.
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