Betty Nicola

Betty L. Nicola, 80, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014, at a Boise care center.

Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m., on Friday, Jan. 31, at Mountain View Cemetery in Mountain Home. Arrangements are under the direction of Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel.

Betty was born on Jan. 6, 1934, in Cherokee, Okla., to William and Audrey Southard. Betty had one brother, Cliff Southard and two sisters, Helen Richey and Bernice Price. Betty was raised in Cherokee and graduated from Cherokee High School in 1952.

Then she went onto meet the love of her life, Jim Nicola and they married on Sept. 2, 1,952. Jim was in the U.S. Air Force and they traveled to different Air Force bases in the United States and Europe before settling in Idaho in 1969.

Jim and Betty had three children, one son, Kent, and two daughters, Kathy and Crystal.

Betty loved reading, spending time with family and going on afternoon drives with Jim.

Betty was preceded in death by both her parents, a brother, two sisters and her son.

She is survived by her husband, Jim Nicola, of Meridian, daughter Kathy Swenson of Lewiston and daughter Crystal and her husband, Tom Stephenson, of Nampa, four grandchildren, Josh (Leslie) Swenson of Grangeville, Lynia Swenson of Lewiston, Jessica Stephenson of Nampa and Ryan Stephenson of Nampa, and two great-grandchildren, Phillip Nicola Swenson and Layla Marie Swenson.

The family would like to thank all the people at Apex Care Center and Heart and Home Hospice that took such wonderful care of Betty.