Happy birthday, Pat.
I'm remembering you with gratitude today. As I celebrate the publication of my chapter on Sexual Health Education in the Legal Resources book for school nurses, I am grateful for your confidence in me. You encouraged me to reach further.

We celebrated with family on Saturday while honoring our grand nephew and his graduation from the University of Montana. There were many people who supported him and pushed him to achieve his goals. It is so fitting to be thinking of Pat at this time and remembering that she was the inspirer and supporter for so many young people. Miss her. She would have told our nephew, "You have this!"

Next month I will receive the "Lifetime Achievement Award" from my professional organization. I could not have achieved this award without the support and wisdom from Pat. I continue to be very grateful for the life she led and all the people she touched along the way, including me. Thank you Pat!
Bev Schroeder

It's been a year. I miss her and celebrate her life and all the ways she has influenced my life. Thank you, Pat!

Many years ago, Pat gave me these words of wisdom. I was considering leaving my job in public health and take one in education, working with the Michigan Model curriculum. With her finger pointed at my nose, she said, "Now you listen to me. Before you leave your job, you make sure you have a competent replacement, so the work you have started will continue. That is the most important thing you can do." 
Two weeks ago I retired. I wanted this message to be more timely, but I was following Pat's wise words, making sure my very competent replacement had everything she needed to continue the work I started.  
Pat was one of the wisest women I knew. Her determination and resilience brought health education to millions of children in Michigan and throughout the United States. She had a wonderful sense of humor and her smile was warm and sincere. I am so grateful for Pat's strength but most of all for her wise words. I obviously never forgot them and I will never forget her!

When I think of Pat, I think of energy, determination, competence, kindness and compassion. I knew her in the context of work on HIV/AIDS education, and she was a leader of thoughtfulness, strength and reason in the face of many who opposed the work. I loved watching her in meetings, as she stayed so calm and purposeful and always with a good touch of dry humor. She was a true advocate for all students and for education firmly rooted in best practices and science. I am so glad to have had the opportunity to work with her, and my thoughts are with her family and friends.

Pat was such a breath of fresh air! She was a delight to work with, and I am honored to call her friend. Pat was a straight shooter and a woman of honesty and integrity who cared deeply for other people, especially young people. When Pat held up her hand, showing you her palm, and said "Listen to me," you were well served to do just that. Her wisdom and candor were highly valued. I had the pleasure of working with her on multiple projects including health education and early childhood programs. She let you know her expectations, then she trusted you to make it so, doing everything in her power to remove any barriers to success. Her sense of humor made working together fun and her desire to leave the world a better place made it rewarding. The world lost one of the good ones. She will be greatly missed.

I guess my friend, Pat, and I could be labeled “the odd couple” because we were both wives of James Lynch. From her marriage I was given three stepchildren I love as my own. Pat and I got to know each other attending graduations and then weddings and then sharing grandchildren. And what happened along the way is she and I became friends…good friends. I admired Pat’s wisdom, honesty and humor. We shared a love of politics, good books, the enjoyment of golf and bridge, but especially we shared our love of family, I will miss her.

Pat was a friend and mentor. We met in the early 70s when I was a school nurse and she was a high school health teacher in Birmingham. I knew she was special when I visited her classroom. The kids loved her. Later she was my graduate school advisor and helped me to follow her in the Health Education Dept at WSU. Pat was smart, kind and one of the "founding mothers" of school health in Michigan. I'm so glad she got to enjoy so much of her beloved golf in her retirement. She will be missed.

It seems like yesterday that Wanda Jubb came to me and said, "We have to hire Pat Nichols. She knows school health, has great experience and is really good." And Wanda was right. Pat expertly and fearlessly navigated the sometimes stormy waters of the Michigan Model, the CDC HIV-Aids grants, and the creation of guidelines for school administration of medications for students. Pat and I also became friends. We golfed on a regular basis and took two international trips. She was one of a kind. I feel so fortunate to have known her. 

Pat was a force to be reckoned with. Always a strong presence and committed to helping those she worked with. I did not have the privilege to work with Pat as long as some of my colleagues, but I will never forget her compassion for school health education and the state of Michigan. She was a wonderful mentor to so many.
Laurie Bassett
Traverse Bay Area ISD School Health Coordinator

Pat Nichols was the consummate "School Nurse" taking care of friends, colleagues and all the children of Michigan. Her contributions to school health will be a lasting tribute to her well lived life.

Health education in Michigan is forever changed because of the wisdom and passion that Pat brought to her work each and every day. She nudged me to move from my comfort zone to learn new skills and to be a stronger educator. She was steadfast in times that were challenging. I admire that she often worked quietly in the background to influence policy and programs. I loved it when her "I/you've/we've got this smile" crept to her face. I am privileged to have met Pat while working and sharing common goals, and even more privileged to have experienced her friendship.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to know and learn from Pat. I treasure our professional relationship. She never wavered from keeping the welfare of young people as her guiding force. She was recognized in Michigan and nationally as a clear thinker and someone with the courage and strength to be honest about “what needs to happen” for youth and the planning skills to achieve it. However, it is our personal friendship that I will miss the most. We shared a love for theater, travel, good meals, and a little wine! She taught me to love Tony Bennett and to read between the words used by a newscaster or written in a book. She introduced me to Mt. Dora and the horse farms near Ocala. We walked dogs together. We could sit and chat for hours. I love you, Pat, and will miss our times together.

Pat was a force for good in Michigan school health. Her nursing training and experiences, combined with her clear-eyed vision for healthy children and adolescents, gave her a skill set that advanced school health. Many of us who worked with Pat benefitted from her leadership and example. Professionally, I am grateful for the opportunities she gave me to grow and contribute. Personally, I am grateful for her confidence in me and her matter-of-fact approach to life's challenges. At my post-divorce gathering, she gave me a back-scratcher and her sage wisdom about moving forward. Thank you, Pat! May her memory be for blessing.