A funeral service will be held Friday, October 19, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. at Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 S. Bluff St., St. George, UT. There will be a viewing Thursday evening, October 18 from 5:00-7:00 pm, and again Friday 11:30-12:30, prior to services at Spilsbury Mortuary.  A second funeral service will be held Tuesday, October 23, at 2:00 pm, at the St. Luke Lutheran Church, Wishek, ND.  Visitation will be held Monday, October 22, 2018 from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Dahlstrom Funeral Home in Wishek, ND.  Interment will be in the St. Luke Lutheran Cemetery immediately following funeral services.

Marlys Nickisch, age 80, passed away peacefully at home, Sunday October 14, 2018.  She was born April 18, 1938 in Lehr, North Dakota to Reinhold Frederich (RF) and Bertha Scherbenske Ruff.   She married Stevens Lester Nickisch, June 26, 1961 in Wishek, ND.

Marlys was raised and attended schools in Lehr, ND. She graduated from Lehr High School and went on to attend Westmar College in Le Mars, IA where she earned a Bachelors degree.   She returned to North Dakota to teach home economics in Napoleon.  In Wishek she met and married Steve.  Together they had two sons.  It was after the birth of her first son that she stopped teaching to raise her family.  Steve and Marlys owned and operated Nickisch Funeral Homes.  In 1978, following Steve's automobile accident, Marlys became very involved with the day-to-day operations of the Funeral Homes.  She remained active in the business until it sold in 1991.   Following retirement, Marlys and Steve enjoyed traveling.  After his death in 2003, Marlys relocated to the warmer climate of St. George, UT.  From 2006 to present Marlys was very active within the Sun River Community and the New Promise Lutheran Church.  She enjoyed playing bridge, being a part of Red Hat Society, and book clubs. Marlys had a very welcoming personality and made friends easily. She enjoyed these associations. Marlys had a light about her that will be missed by all who knew her.

Marlys is survived by her sons Dan Nickisch (and girlfriend Carla Bone) of Seattle, WA and Bryce Nickisch of Syracuse, UT, and grandsons Alex and Logan Nickisch. She is also survived by her brother Marvin Ruff of Charlotte, MI.

She is preceded in death by her parents and her husband.

Arrangements are under the Direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, St. George, UT and Dahlstrom Funeral Home, Wishek, ND.