Emma Hamilton Nicholls, 42, of Aurora, Colorado, passed away on April 16, 2026. She was born September 18, 1983 in Durban, South Africa, to Laila Bergman and Gerry Nicholls.

Emma lived in many places in early life — mostly Leeds, UK, and Phoenix, AZ — before settling into Colorado as home. She attended the University of Colorado at Boulder, earning her BA in Psychology, and went on to work as a mental health and health care professional. The crossroads of her passion and expertise was offering care and kindness to those most often overlooked, including serving as a caregiver to people in their final hours of life.

Having been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at 17 years old, Emma refused to hide or be ashamed of this disease — instead she became a fierce advocate for diabetes awareness and research.

She also had a great love of animals. Having raised cats from a young age, Emma offered foster care to hundreds of animals across a dozen years, including cats, hedgehogs, rabbits, and geckos.

More than any other hobby or vocation, Emma’s truest love was of her son, Judah. From the moment she became a mother, she worked tirelessly to build a loving world for him. They shared countless hours of laughs, inside jokes, and journeys to explore nature, and she encouraged and equipped every one of his hobbies and passions as his eternal cheerleader.

Emma is survived by her son, Judah Peters; her parents, Laila Bergman and Gerry Nicholls; and her brother, James Nicholls.

A memorial service will be held Thursday, April 23, 2026, from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. at Horan & McConaty Funeral Service and Cremation, 11150 E Dartmouth Ave, Aurora, CO 80014, followed by a reception from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. at the HeartLight Center at the same location.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites contributions to Judah’s college savings fund through Ugift (code: Y73-69X).

Livestream Link: https://foreverinourhearts.love/pages/emma-hamilton-nicholls