Phyllis Barbara Gimson Nicholls:1922-2023

 

Phyllis Barbara Gimson Nicholls was born on 2 November 1922 in Linton, Cambridgeshire, England to Ernest Reynolds Gimson and Gladys Hilda Wakefield. She was the fourth child of five children born in this family. At the age of 3 she and her family sailed on the "SS Berrima" from England to Western Australia where she settled and grew up for the next seventeen years. Ernie, Muriel, Phyllis, Eva and her parents.

They lived in Guilford, Konnongorring, and Bindi Bindi before settling in Babakin in 1931 where her father bought a store called The Trading and Agency Co., which he renamed to E. R. Gimson, Babakin Trading and Agency Co., General Merchants store. 

Here she grew up and did her part to support her family and attend school. They lived in walking distance from the school and learned multiple things and how to grow fruits and vegetable as well as helping in the store. Her older and only living brother Ernie, joined the RAF and before he finished his training WWII broke out. Unfortunately he did not return from an air raid flight in 1941. In 1944 she moved with her family to New South Wales where she remained the rest of her life.

She went on to become a registered nurse and married in 1949 to John Benjamin Nicholls and lived in Blacktown, N.S.W. Together they raised a son, Colin John Nicholls, who unexpectedly passed away in 1974. 

John liked to play lawn balls and Phyllis enjoyed painting ceramics. She was an excellent painter of many designs on plates, cups and sauces, she even had a kiln in her home. She would share her work with stores in the area for sale but would also give some away to members of her family. 

Phyllis and John, her husband, along with Eva, her sister and James, Eva's husband moved into the Mayflower Villas, Westmead, N.S.W. Here she stayed through the loss of James in 1998 and John in 2000. Her and Eva would do shopping together and attend family gatherings along with church together. They were always together until April, 2015 when Eva passed away. 

While she could still get around and was somewhat healthy, she resettled into the Melrose Village, Pendle Hill, N.S.W., where she could be comfortable and should she need assistance of any kind, they would provide it. It was here that she would turn 100 years old on 2 November 2022, and have quite the celebration. 

Before turning 100, she fell a couple of times and became very frail. On 27 June, 2023, she passed away and has been laid to rest with her husband and son at Pinegrove Memorial Gardens in Minchinbury, N.S.W., Australia. She will be dearly missed by many who knew her over the years.

Phyllis Barbara Gimson Nicholls:  2 Nov 1922-27 June 2023