Carabel Seaman Nicholson

Carabel S. Nicholson left this life to be with the Lord on March 8, 2012, at Autumn Healthcare, Cambridge, Ohio. She was born on January 8, 1917 in Milan, Missouri, the daughter of Benton Wilson Seaman and Ethyl C. (Prindle) Seaman. She was graduated from Kirksville, Missouri, High School in 1935, and from Northeast Missouri State Teachers College in 1939 with a degree in education. While in college she met her husband, Dr. William H. Nicholson, who was attending the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. Bill and Carabel married January 1, 1941 at the Seventh Street Methodist Church in Cambridge, by Reverend C.W. Cooper. They were attended by Doctor Nicholson's mother Etha H. Nicholson and his sister, Virginia Nicholson. Carabel is survived by her five children, Attorney William T. Nicholson (Pamela), Cambridge, David W. Nicholson, Cambridge, Carol (John) Gaynor, Martinsburg, West Virginia, Judge John M. Nicholson (Priscilla), Cambridge, and James I. Nicholson (Tammie), Martinsburg, West Virginia, 13 grandchildren, Lisa (Christopher) Blass, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, William K. (Barbe) Nicholson, West Chester, Ohio, Cara (Todd) Burkhart, Cambridge, Ohio, Julianna (Mike) Arguelles, New Albany, Ohio, Edward Nicholson, Columbus, Ohio, Justin, Priscilla, and Lindsay Gaynor, Martinsburg, West Virginia, Sarah (Ryan) Burke, New Concord, Ohio, Brian Benton Nicholson, Alexandria, Virginia, and Jami Jandrain, Aaron Nicholson, and Lauren Nicholson, Martinsburg, West Virginia, and 11 great grandchildren, Megan, Christopher, and Noah Blass, Alexandria and H. William Nicholson, Peyton Burkhart, Michael and Isabelle Arguelles, Nicholas J. Biddinger, Brody Burke, and Hanna Jandrain. She is also survived by Evelyn Nicholson, the mother of her grandchildren, Julianna and Edward. Doctor Nicholson passed away on February 6, 2002. Carabel's only brother Wilson Seaman, her sister-in-law Bonnie Seaman, and their children Alan Seaman and Julie Seaman, all of whom lived in California, predeceased her. Carabel's father, Benton Seaman, was a proud railroad man, having worked for years for the Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad in Missouri. Her mother, Ethyl Seaman had been a teacher in a one room school in Missouri until she had her children. Carabel's paternal grandfather, Dr. James Vanderford Seaman was a country doctor in Kansas; her father could remember riding with him in a buckboard wagon making house calls on the Kansas prairie. Her maternal grandfather, Anson Prindle was a mule breeder and justice of the peace in Missouri. Carabel's maternal ancestors had migrated westward through Guernsey County in a covered wagon in the nineteenth century. Carabel's parents had moved to the Cambridge area in 1948, to be with their children. Carabel was a long-time teacher in the Cambridge City School District. Mrs. Nicholson was always active in the community, particularly in the area of improving mental health services and the youth of the community. She helped organize the Guernsey County Mental Health Association and served as its president in the 1970s. She was a member of the Ohio Mental Health Association Board of Directors. Carabel organized the Parent/Teachers Association at Cambridge High School and the Junior High School in the 1950s. She served as president of the High School PTA for two years and later was affiliated with the Oakland Elementary School and Glass Plant Elementary School PTAs. Mrs. Nicholson sparked the movement that brought about the expansion of Children Services in Cambridge and Guernsey County. While serving as president of the Cambridge High School PTA, she made provision for a committee that stimulated public interest in expanding services for children. She devoted several years to this effort, resulting in the establishment of a Youth/Guidance Counsel, and a private agency, the Child Service Center to handle cases of child neglect, unwed mothers, and adoptions. The center was dissolved when the Guernsey County Children Services Board was reorganized and its services were greatly expanded. For many years, Mrs. Nicholson was a leader in the movement and she, along with the late Molly Anker, were the first case workers for the Children Services board. Mrs. Nicholson organized a volunteer Protective Services committee to assist in presenting child abuse cases in the Guernsey County Juvenile Court. In 1970, Carabel, along with other local women, was a founding member of Women Interested in Children (WIC's), an organization with the primary objective of supporting the children at the Guernsey County Children' s Home with such needs as tutoring, help with make-up, or any other personal attention they might need on an individual basis. The organization continues to this day. Carabel was active in Girl Scout work, was a Girl Scout leader and a member of that organization's board of directors. She also served on the Office and Staff Committee of Camp Fire Girls. She served as a Cub Scout Pack den mother and served for two terms on the YMCA Board of Directors. Mrs. Nicholson was a charter member of the Guernsey Memorial Hospital (now SEORMC) Auxiliary and was president of that group for two years. She also helped organize the Wing Twelve auxiliary for the hospital. She served as treasurer of the Bobcat Boosters club, and was president of the FAD Mothers club at Muskingum College. Mrs. Nicholson had worked as a member of the United Fund Board and served two terms on the board at the First Methodist Church. She served two terms as president of the American Association of University Women, and was legislative chairperson for that organization in the North Central region. Her name was listed in "Who's who among American Women" in the 1960s, and she served as president and treasurer of the Ohio State Osteopathic Auxiliary. Mrs. Nicholson was president and a board member of what was known in the 1980s as the Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (MRDD), which continues to be the operation of the Golden Rule School. In November 1972, Carabel was honored by the Sertoma Club for 25 years of service to the community. Mrs. Nicholson was honored as a Jeffersonian Person of the Year in 1982 for her long service to the community. Carabel was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She loved children and dogs, and she and Dr. Nicholson always kept dogs throughout their lives. Carabel loved the home that she and Dr. Nicholson built on Route 22, and loved bird watching. Carabel lived her Christian faith modestly, and was known for her cheerful disposition and positive outlook. She was an avid bridge player, and for many years, played bridge with her good friends Hannah Amos, Marge Mayor, Martha Moore, and Mickie Alexander. Visitation will be Monday (March 12, 2012) from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Thorn-Black Funeral Home in Cambridge, Ohio, where funeral services and celebration of her life will be held on Tuesday (March 13, 2012) at 11 a.m. with Reverend Jim Gibson officiating. Burial will be in Northwood Cemetery.