Estate sale to benefit M2M

The late Ruth Nichols was a feisty lady -- a colorful character with a keen wit. She was full of mischief and fun and she could hold her ground with any verbal opponent who challenged the welfare of a child under her care.

Nichols was an elementary teacher in the Dexter Schools for many years. She began her career under the guidance of T.S. Hill, for whom the local middle school is named. She was one of those women who was born to teach. Many of her students over the years made it a point as adults to let her know that they'd never forgotten her influence when they were youngsters in her classroom.

Her influence was also felt within the community through her efforts in the Dexter Civic Club, the Garden Club, the Park Board, the American Legion Auxiliary, and the hospital board, to name a few. Where there was a cause, there was Ruth Nichols.

Ruth and Carl "Botts" Nichols often entertained in their modest home on Rannells Street in Dexter. The 1950s and 60s were the days of bridge clubs and meetings where the "good" china and tea sets were properly placed on the table -- where etched glass vases held fresh flowers and women wore pump heels, seamed stockings and white gloves.

Over the years, Botts and Ruth Nichols acquired a significant collection of glassware, fine dishes and other items Ruth especially cherished. After she died in 2007, her two children were faced with the task of emptying Ruth's home of her collectibles, her furniture and other belongings. While most items have been long gone, Carolyn Johnson and Danny Nichols have been faced with the dilemma of what to do with the boxes upon boxes of their mother's final items from the house -- until now.

On Wednesday, Oct. 23 and Thursday, Oct. 24, the Regional Healthcare Foundation will be hosting Ruth Nichols' Estate Tag Sale at Cox Corner at 529 Walnut St. in Dexter. Organizing the event will be Patty Shell and Linda Ulm from the RHF.

"Mother loved children so much, and so we decided that all the proceeds from the sale of these items of hers would be best placed in the hands of the Mother-to-Mother Program through the Regional Healthcare Foundation," said the Nichols' daughter, Carolyn Johnson.

And so from 4 until 8 p.m. on Oct. 23 and then from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Oct. 24, a sizable display of items will be price tagged for sale at Cox Corner.

"This won't be an auction," emphasized Shell, "but rather a very fairly priced sale of items that include many collectibles. It also will not be a piecemeal sale. The china and matching items will be sold in sets."

Items to be sold include etched glass, Haviland china, Lefton China, hand-painted china pieces, pottery, vintage baby clothing, antique linens and doilies, milk glass items, hand-blown glass vases, an antique doll, and many, many more items.

"I believe my mother would highly approve of what we're doing," said her son, Danny Nichols. "With her love of compassion for young children, I think she'd be very pleased to know that the proceeds will be going to better the lives of young mothers and their infant children."

The local Mother-to-Mother Program is a three-phase mentoring program to support young women who are pregnant or parenting by giving them the resources and skills they need to become successful parents.

We provide them with choices, opportunities and achievements. The Mother-to- Mother mentoring program works with the young women through their pregnancy and the first year of their child's life.