Donald Fredrick Nicklas

Donald Fredrick Nicklas, age 85, of Guernsey, died Saturday, February 10, 2024, at Grinnell Regional Medical Center with family at his side. A funeral service for Donald will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, February 16, 2024, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Brooklyn with Father Scott Foley officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Brooklyn, with military honors. Visitation: 4 to 8 p.m., Thursday, February 15, 2024, at Kloster Funeral Home, Brooklyn. Memorials may be directed to the family.

Don was born on September 2nd, 1938, to Julius and Caroline (Zuber) Nicklas, of Guernsey, Iowa. He was drafted into the U.S. Army and he served his country for two years. Upon his return home, Don worked on the farm with his father and purchased his own acreage in 1966. On November 5,1966, he married the love of his life, Patricia Kaufman. They lived in the Guernsey community and farmed and operated several businesses in the years since.

Don was an entrepreneur at heart. He worked for Amana Refrigeration for a short time, and in1978 Don and Pat operated their first business, the Brooklyn Cafe. They moved on to otherbusinesses throughout their union which included the Brooklyn Legion, Double D Tavern(Newton), and Farmer Nick's Restaurant on 1-80 Exit 201 and Broad Street in Grinnell, Iowa.  Farmer Nick's operated from 1986-2011. Most remember Don as "Farmer Nick" from the years spent at the family-owned restaurant.

He enjoyed visiting with customers and sitting with the locals talking about the day's events and sharing conversation and coffee every morning at Farmer Nick's and missed those days after it closed. The last few years Don has enjoyed watching his grandchildren's sporting events and always tried to make it to their ball games. He spent time at local businesses catching up on the day's news and sharing coffee with community members in the last few years.

He was a member of the Victor American Legion and St. Patrick's Catholic Church of Brooklyn. Don is survived by his wife of 57 years, Pat, and his children, Teresa (Steve) Beck, of Brooklyn, Laura (Kevin) Cline, of Guernsey, Donita (Marvin) Lunsford, of Mount Airy, Maryland, Carla (Scott) Bass, of Johnston, and Gene (Jill) Nicklas, of Grinnell. Grandchildren, Bonnie (Jake) Nelson, of Spring Creek, Nevada, Stephanie (RJ) Condon, of Oswego, Illinois, Nick (Zoe) Beck, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, Nathan (Amy) Beck, of Grinnell, Hope Beck, of Cedar Rapids, Noah Beck, of Iowa City, Owen Cline, of Guernsey, Emily Cline of Guernsey, Marcus Lunsford of Laurinburg, North Carolina, Mason Lunsford, of Mount Airy, Maryland, Martin Lunsford, of Mount Airy, Maryland, Riley Bass, of Johnston, Hunter Bass, of Johnston, Erin Nicklas, of Grinnell, and Charlie Nicklas, of Grinnell. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Charline Nicklas, of Cedar Rapids, and great-grandchildren, Teresa Condon, Walter Condon, and Peyton Beck, and three more on the way.

He is preceded in death by his parents, a brother Fred Nicklas, sisters Nadine Coots and Eleanor Forde, and granddaughter Carrie Jean Beck.