Longfellow teacher was museum docent

2/14/2006

Esther Lucke Nickerson, a former teacher at Toledo's Longfellow Elementary School and a former member of Toledo Day Nursery's board of directors, died Sunday in Toledo Hospital. She was 74.

Mrs. Nickerson suffered a heart attack several months ago, her husband, Harry Nickerson, said. The exact cause of death was not known.

Mr. Nickerson said his wife enjoyed being a teacher and was active as a volunteer for many years when she was younger.

"She did many things whenever she could, and she was a teacher for quite a few years," he said.

Mrs. Nickerson graduated from Ottawa Hills High School and Michigan State University. After college, she began working at Longfellow.

Mr. and Mrs. Nickerson married at Trinity Episcopal Church in Toledo in August, 1955.

Family members said Mrs. Nickerson was a lifelong volunteer for several different organizations, including Toledo Hospital, where she was a member of the auxiliary. She was also a docent at the Toledo Museum of Art for many years.

Mrs. Nickerson was a past president of the Toledo Woman's Golf District and 18 Hole Women at the Inverness Club, and was a member of the Ohio Seniors Women's Golf Association.

In 1998, she competed in the 36-hole, stroke-play championship with a field of 84 golfers.

Surviving are her husband, Harry Nickerson; sons, Steven Nickerson and Mark Nickerson; daughter, Virginia "Ginny" Kirchmaier; six grandchildren; and brother, Ross Lucke.

There will be no visitation. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Walker Funeral Home.