Wilbur “Dean” Nichols, 86, of LeRoy, passed away at 12:35 p.m. Sunday (Feb. 24, 2019) peacefully at his home with family by his side.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Calvert-Belangee-Bruce Funeral Home, LeRoy. Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Interment will be in Oak Grove Cemetery where military rites will be accorded. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to LeRoy Emergency Ambulance Service or LeRoy High School Athletics in memory of Dean Nichols.

Dean was born April 24, 1932, in Decatur, to Earl and Bertha Christner Nichols. He married his childhood sweetheart, Sara Sigler, April 5, 1952, in Santa Barbara, Calif. They were married for 66 years. Sara survives in LeRoy.

Dean and Sara raised their family in LeRoy and had three children, Mark (Melinda) Nichols, deceased; Michael Nichols, LeRoy; and Karen Bruning, Bloomington. Also surviving are five grandsons, Brett (Melanie) Bruning, Tyler Bruning and Shane Bruning, all of Bloomington; Ethan Bruning, Chicago; and Nathan Chambers, Knox, Ind.; and two nephews, Randy (Mary) and Stephen (Gail) Sigler and their families.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Dale C. Nichols.