Donna (Kelley) Nichols

Donna (Kelley) Nichols went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Wednesday, September 28, 2022, in Abilene, Texas.  She was 84.

She and her identical twin sister Alva Lee were born to Gordon and Hester Kelley on November 28, 1937 in Brownwood, Texas.  As teenagers Donna and Alva Lee began performing as “The Kelley Twins” singing duo.  They sang several times on the Farren Twins Show broadcast from radio station KBWD in Brownwood and also at Brownwood’s Memorial Hall Auditorium, where a young Elvis performed in 1955.  The sisters also sang on the Slim Willet Show broadcast from station KRBC in Abilene.  Donna later continued her love of singing in her church choir and praise team.

In 1956, Donna graduated Bangs High School, where she was head cheerleader for the Bangs Dragons, played on the girls’ basketball team, and served as a class vice-president.  After graduation she married her high school sweetheart, Bobby E. Nichols, who had graduated one year earlier and gone to attend Texas A&M.  Eventually the couple moved to Abilene where they had one daughter, Kelly Dawn.

In 1960, Donna went to work for Merchants Fast Motor Lines as a claims agent and customer service representative, retiring 37 years later when the company went out of business in 1997.  While at Merchants, Donna made many friends, and her sense of humor made the workplace fun.  She was delighted to attend her daughter’s wedding in Illinois, after helping her own mom make the beautiful wedding dress.  She was even more delighted to become a grandmother to Ethan and then Erin, her precious grandchildren.  Donna enjoyed taking dance class at Patty Harper Studio in Abilene, and she later joined senior dance teams that performed in the area, such as the Texas Tornadoes and the Golden Girls.

Donna was a longtime member of Broadview Baptist Church where she loved teaching Sunday School and spoiling the 4 ^th and 5 ^th grade girls with donuts and crafts.  She also faithfully sang in the choir and on the praise team to serve the Lord with her talents.  Her church family meant the world to her, and Broadview was her favorite place to be.

Donna was preceded in death by her parents Gordon and Hester, her sister Alva Lee, former husband Bobby Nichols, special aunts, uncles, and cousins, and cherished nephew Abilene Police Officer Jeff McCoy.

She is survived by daughter Kelly Nichols Berl (husband Michael), grandson Ethan Berl, granddaughter Erin Berl, beloved nephew Randy McCoy (wife Dee Dee) and their children, Chester McCoy (wife Charlene and son Ethan James) and Sarah McCoy, and brother-in-law Eldon McCoy.

Service will be officiated by Senior Pastor Wes Terry and Pastor Emeritus David Cason at Broadview Baptist Church, 2500 South 27 ^th , Abilene on Wednesday Oct. 5, 2022, with brief visitation at 10:30 am and funeral at 11:00. Burial will be at Elmwood Memorial Park.  Memorial donations may be given to Broadview Baptist Church and its many community and worldwide ministries.