Betty Jean Nicholas

Born May 4, 1921 in Red Cloud Nebraska to George Huntsinger and Floy Day Huntsinger, Betty lived most of her life in the Denver area. She died April 3, 2018 at the age of 96, just one month shy of her 97th birthday. She was predeceased by her husband, Wilson Cary Nicholas, also 96. They met in 1942 at the Trocadero Room at Elitch Gardens, dancing to Tommy Dorsey and other big bands. They were married almost 73 years when Nick died in December, 2016. She is survived by her 2 children, Randy (Marcy) Nicholas and Nancy (Bruce) Henson, and by her grandchildren Carter Dickson (Shawn Leigh Curry), Melinda Cary and great-granddaughter Cordelia, Michael (Kathleen) Nicholas and great-grandchildren Dylan, Amelia and Caroline, Jessica (Alex) Dill, Amanda Nicholas and Nicole Nicholas. Betty was an only child but had a large extended family in the Denver area. Betty and Nick lived in Park Hill, University HIlls, Cherry HIlls, Cherry Knolls, San Diego, Willowcreek and then for 38 years in Heather Gardens. Betty partipated in everything Heather Gardens had to offer including tennis, golf, ceramics, water excercise, walking, Frolics performances, Ports of Call, bridge and much socializing. She and her husband, Nick, were pillars of the community, helping create a Catholic mass and community there, and enjoyed many, close and enduring friendships . Betty and Nick were avid travelers and loved to snorkel. They went to Hawaii, the Bahamas, Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, and all over the Caribean. For Betty's 80th birthday, she and Nick took the whole family to the Bahamas to teach all the grandchildren to snorkel. Betty and Nick leave behind a legacy of mountain property near Bailey which has been put into a Land Conservation Easement to preserve the pristine woods and meadows. Betty had been going to this mountain for over 80 years. Four generations have enjoyed the cabins and the woods and spectacular rocks. And the property will be there for her family and friend to enjoy for generations to come. Betty was a fun, powerful, loving matriarch and her strength and love of family will endure through her family. She will be missed by so many. A Memorial service will be planned to accommodate out of town family with details to be announced at a later date. A grave-side service is planned at Crown Hill on Wednesday, April 11, 2018 at 2:00 pm. Memorial contributions may be made to the ""Nicholas Family Mountain"" to continue the preservation of the property, or to the charity of the giver's choice.