Kathryn Joanne Nickason

Kathryn Joanne (Hentschel) Nickason of Fort Worth, passed away peacefully on August 7, 2020, at home surrounded by her family.  Kathy is survived by her husband, James Nickason; her daughter Laura and husband Hoyt Hammer, and their two children, Will and Aaron, of Fort Worth; her son, Mark Nickason of Breckenridge, Colorado; her sister Patty Coulter of Denver, Colorado.  Kathy referred to her illness and death as a little bump in the road to her eternal life.  She is joining her parents, Richard and Luverne Hentschel of San Diego, California in Heaven. While her life here on Earth ended far too soon, she packed a lot into those 69 years!  Kathy loved God, life, travel, her family, and her many friends.  She was born in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1951.  While still very young, her family relocated to San Diego, California where she met the love of her life, Jim, at the very young age of 16!  They married in 1972, and after graduating from San Diego State University, they spent the next 11 years traveling the world while Jim served as an F-111 pilot. A three-year assignment in England gave them the opportunity to travel throughout Europe from which her love of travel was born!  During those years, Kathy put her degree in child development to use teaching preschool.  While stationed in New Mexico, she added a Master’s degree in Education to her resume, and went on to teach elementary education. After Jim’s Air Force career ended, his new job as a pilot for American Airlines brought them to the Dallas-Fort Worth area.  After retirement in 2009, they took full advantage of their time to travel.  They went on numerous cruises, including a bucket list, month-long transatlantic cruise from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Southampton, England.  It was one of her very favorite memories.  Kathy will be remembered for her love of parties and entertaining, her love for her family – especially her two grandkids, her love for her friends, and for her kindness. Due to the current pandemic, a celebration of Kathy’s life is planned for a later date.  Donations in lieu of flowers may be made in her name to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (donate.lls.org).