Joyce W. Nikolai

Joyce W. Nikolai, 91 year old resident of Little Falls, MN, passed away Saturday, March 30, 2024, surrounded by her children and grandchildren at the St. Cloud Hospital in St. Cloud, MN. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, April 4, 2024, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Little Falls, MN, at 11:30 A.M. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, from 4:00-7:00 P.M., at the Shelley Funeral Chapel in Little Falls, and again on Thursday one hour prior to the service at the church. Christian Mothers will pray the rosary at 3:30 on Wednesday, at the Shelley Funeral Chapel in Little Falls. Burial will take place in Calvary Cemetery. In Lieu of Flowers, memorials are preferred to St. Mary's Catholic Church or the St. Francis Convent. Caring for Joyce and her family is the Shelley Funeral Chapel of Little Falls. Joyce was born November 7, 1932 to Philip and Leila (Gravis) Wright of San Diego, TX. In 1946, at the age of 13, Joyce left her hometown and went to Incarnate Word, an Irish Catholic boarding school in San Antonio, TX. She spent the next 9 years there in high school and college where she earned a BA in English Literature and a teaching certificate. She considered the nuns and her life-long friends from Incarnate Word to be her family and credits them for shaping her strong faith. While living in San Antonio, she agreed to a blind date with Lee Nikolai, set up by mutual friends. They fell in love and were married on December 30, 1958. Together they faced the challenges and adventures that came with moves across the country that included medical school in TX and residency in MN at Mayo Clinic. They finally settled down in Little Falls in 1973. Joyce immersed herself in being a mother and a volunteer. She spent countless hours volunteering as a member of Christian Mothers, St. Gabriel’s Hospital Auxiliary, and both St. Mary’s Church and School which all of her children attended. Later in life, she was an English as a second language tutor. Joyce created an annual family tradition celebrating the “Nikolympics” at Maddens for the last 27 years. This special family time brought the whole family closer together. She was a grandma to 11 grandkids, and a great-grandma to 1 great-grandchild and was famous for her sweet rolls and pecan pie. Joyce is survived by her children, Eric (Carrie) Nikolai, Lisa (Craig) Meschke, Karen (Jim Laurence) Nikolai, Julie (Bob) Nikolai-Sullivan and Rachel (Brad) Durfee all of Minnesota; grandkids, Taylor and Jillian Nikolai, Zach, Luke, Jake and Matt Meschke, Anna, Bridget and Peyton Sullivan and Jessica and Nik Durfee; great-grandchild, Lenna Meschke. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lee Nikolai; her parents, Philip and Leila Gravis Wright; brothers, Philip Wright, Jr., C.L. “Spot” Wright; and sister, Helen Boomgaarden.

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Joyce W. Nikolai

November 7, 1932 - March 30, 2024