Frances Cooper

Frances Dean (Miller) Cooper

March 21, 1933 - October 6, 2025

Frances Dean (Miller) Cooper, devoted Christ follower, Mother, Stepmother, Grandmother, Step-grandmother, Great-grandmother, and Aunt exited time and entered eternity on the Sixth day of October, in the Year of our Lord Two-Thousand Twenty-Five in Olathe, Kansas.

She was born March 21, 1933, in Russellville, Ark., to Sylvin L. and Rena Faye (Goodman) Miller. She was one of sixteen children born to Sylvin and Rena, yet only fourteen would survive to adulthood. She was a juvenile survivor of polio prior to the creation of a polio vaccine. She spent her early life in Arkansas. Not quite two years old, she, with her family, moved to Coffeyville in 1935 and later to Garnett, Kansas. She attended and graduated from Garnett (Kansas) High School. She lived in Pittsburg (Kansas) for a brief time attending Kansas State Teacher's College at Pittsburg. She would continue that education many years later focusing on philosophy through the University of Kansas.

She married Donald Nickelson at Garnett, Kansas in 1954. To this union, three children were born: Douglas Nickelson; Debra (Nickelson) Brooks (deceased); and Kathi (Nickelson) Griffin (deceased).

Surviving her are one son, Douglas Nickelson and wife Sandy of Clermont, Florida; one son-in-law, Robert (Bob) Brooks (Debra's surviving spouse) of Garnett, Kansas; one brother, Sydney Miller of Brookfield, WI, and a beloved niece, Myra Vachon of Mukwonago, WI, and one sister-in-law, Rose Miller, Garnett, KS; and, ten grandchildren; from Debra, Rachele Dawn Poe and husband Ray of Ottawa, Kansas; Ruby Dawn James and husband Cary of Ottawa, Kansas; Joe Bill Sutton and wife Samantha of Pittsburg, Kansas; and Shaye Lee Bemis of Garnett, Kansas; from Douglas, Heather Dunster of Kansas City, Kansas; Elizabeth Poland of Prairie Village, Kansas, and step-granddaughter, Brean Karimi ; and from Kathi, Damon Griffin of Gardner, Kansas; Nicholas Griffin of Ottawa; Ashley Griffin of Colony, Kansas ; numerous loved great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren; and many other family members and friends.

A graveside service will be held on Friday, October 10, 2025, at 1:30 P.M., at Welda Cemetery. Memorial contributions are suggested to Olathe Hospice House and can be left in the care of the funeral home. Condolences for the family can be left at www.feuerbornfuneral.com.