Barbara Nichols

Barbara Faye Nichols passed away on Friday November 9, 2018 at Fauquier Hospital in Virginia, after an extended illness. She was born Barbara Faye Howe in Borger, Texas, in 1951, to Clarence and Lola Pearl Howe, the youngest of 3 children. She grew up on a series of ranches in New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming. An accomplished snow skier she spent many years in ski patrol working to help save lives in the mountains of Yellow Stone. She was training at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs when a death in the family member forced her to make a tough decision to leave the team and return to support her family. Living on the Diamond Bar Ranch outside of Cody, WY, she spent most days working cattle and doing ranch chores. Anticipating a move to a new ranch in New Zealand, She became one of few teenage women to get her private pilot’s license Under the age of 18. After graduating from Cody High School, she took college classes at Letourneau Bible college in Texas. One of her most cherished memories was an extended road trip where she visited most of the Western United States with her best friend Heather Jacob. Another was the trip to the the Holy Land, on the Queen Mary; her grandmother took all the female cousins when she was 14. In 1972, she married William Burd II and had 4 children. She moved to Colorado Springs, and in 1991 she remarried Captain Martin Nichols and moved to Torrance California. In 1993, the Air Force moved the family to Stafford, Virginia, where Barbara remained an Air Force wife and the family grew up. Barbara spent much time helping others. She had a passion for caring for people and helping them achieve their goals. She was a non-judgmental person and always thought everyone deserved a second chance. Barbara continued to fight the complications of Lupus throughout the years. Barbara is survived by her husband of 27 years, Martin Nichols, her brother and sister, Harold Howe and Sandy Davis, her 4 children William “Trae” Burd, Rachel Masa, Brian and his wife, Michelle Burd, and Bradley Burd. Her grand children are Aaron, Caileigh and Koty Masa, Austin and Brianna Burd, Robert Wheeler, Charlie Burd, Steven, Ashley and Jacob Frederiksen and Lily Burd as well as 3 great-grand children. A viewing was held 24 Nov 18 in Aquia Harbour, and a remembrance will be held in the future in Casper, Wyoming. Consider donations to the Lupus Foundation, 1.202.349.1155, in lieu of flowers.