Leroy "Roy" Nickerson

LeRoy “Roy” Everett Nickerson, 91

Beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great grandfather, LeRoy “Roy” Everett Nickerson, 91, of Kingston, Idaho, passed away March 20, 2016 at the Mountain Valley Care & Rehabilitation of Kellogg, Idaho.  He was born May 1, 1924 in Miles City, Montana; Roy was the son of Arthur and Sarah Bell (Hobbs) Nickerson.
Roy married Lelia Finley on February 15, 1943 in Portland, Oregon; they were married for sixty-eight years.  Lelia passed away on June 22, 2011.  “Look out Mom, here I come.”
Roy, Lelia and family moved to the Silver Valley in 1947 from Sandpoint, Idaho.
Roy started his career as a carpenter.  He had his hands in helping to build a trestle bridge on HWY 95 and even worked for the Navy for a short time.  He then became what he was best known for, a great salesman.  In 1947, Roy and his brother Dan, started Nickerson Brothers in Smelterville, selling used cars; and then later took on numerous new dealerships like Henry J. Kaiser and Frasier and later, and most notably, Buick and GMC.  Roy was well known for taking almost anything in on trade and would often drag home the strangest things.
In 1951, he bought a large ranch near Bumble Bee, on the Coeur d’ Alene River and moved his family to where he would build his lifelong home.  Roy was always very generous and well known for inviting many people to his home.  He hosted many events and reunions throughout the years.  He was always the center of every event and took great delight in telling jokes or pulling pranks on his guests.  After retirement, Roy and Lelia loved traveling in their “coach” and made new friends wherever they went.  Roy loved pulling out his “mouth harp” and playing some tunes for anybody that would listen.  In his later years, Roy built his campground, Big Wheel RV, in his lower field so people had a place to park when they would come to visit.  He took great pride in his RV park and would often stop in to visit with the campers.
Roy always lived a full life, he always had some project he wanted to start and loved finding places to pour concrete.  He owned several airplanes and loved to fly.  Roy was a great joker and story teller, a professional practical jokester and was the master of Pinchy Winchy.  He was also a great collector of cars and took great pride in giving rides to his friends and family.  He loved playing and watching baseball, hunting, snowmobiling, dancing; Roy belonged to the Hassie Car club and a few various clubs and most importantly, he loved playing pinochle.  Roy loved his family and his little dog Coco.  He was generous with his time and attention.  His favorite saying was “That’s okay, you are supposed to do that sometimes” whenever you would mess up.  Roy always had a sucker and some walking around money for the grandkids.  The family is blessed with many great memories.
Roy is survived by three children Bella (Fred) Hussey of Kingston, Idaho; Glen Nickerson of Kingston, Idaho and Jerry Nickerson of Kingston, Idaho; ten grandchildren, nineteen great-grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren; he is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.  Roy was preceded in death by his parents, his beloved wife Lelia, one son Gary, two daughters Martha and Peggy, one granddaughter Shelley, two sisters Donna Jean and Daisy and four brothers Jim, Dan, Ivan and Don.
Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, March 26, 2016, at 1:00 P.M. at the Silver Valley Worship Center of Smelterville, Idaho.  Interment will be held at the Greenwood Cemetery of Kellogg.  A reception for family and friends will be held at 2:00 P.M. at the Veterans Memorial Hall (formerly the Steelworkers Union Hall) 110 Hill Street, Kellogg; this will be potluck and everyone is welcome.
The family suggests that memorials may be made to the Shoshone Pet Rescue, P.O. Box 884, Kellogg, Idaho 83837.
One may sign Roy’s online guest book at www.shoshonefuneralservice.com
SHOSHONE FUNERAL SERVICES KELLOGG, IDAHO is entrusted with funeral arrangements.