Born in Newton, Sharon and husband, Galen Hiebert, were parents of two boys and a daughter. Following Galen’s death in 1979 Sharon and the children moved to Hesston and she worked parttime outside the home in addition to being “Mom.” Sharon has always cherished the brighter side of life through art projects, especially watercolor paintings and other art and handmade items that are elegantly displayed in her home.
Most of us on campus have come to know Sharon as the devoted spouse of Allan Nickel, also a widower with two girls, and they were introduced through mutual friends. By Christmas 1987 Allan and Sharon and the five children were ready to become a blended family. Their marriage took place on June 4, 1988 choreographed among a host of graduation ceremonies for their children. They did succeed though in savoring their honeymoon high in the Rockies at Estes Park.
Frequently Sharon accompanied Allan on political trips on behalf of the Harvey County Board of Farm Bureau. He served as the local Board President several times. At Grace Community Church, where they were almost charter members, the couple became known as “the greeters.”
When Allan was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and as symptoms increased, he made the decision to retire from AGCO after sixty-four and one-half years as a tool designer. He and Sharon began their search for a new home and when the opportunity arose for them to move to a house on our campus, they were delighted. Thanksgiving 2011 was not the usual holiday family gathering though–all the family helped with the move and feasted on pizza, not turkey.
Together Sharon and Allan created a legacy of love and faithfulness to God and each other extending to the many generations of their family in the past, present, and future.