Ella Ruth Nicks passed away peacefully at home in Tomball, Texas on March 21, 2023, at the age of 94.

Ruth was born to Ollie and Robert Taylor on December 14, 1928.  Due to hard times during the Great Depression, Ruth was 9 years old when she was sent to live with loving foster parents, Catherine and Arthur Terry, who adopted her soon after.  She was married to the love of her life, Bill Nicks, for 48 years.  She was blessed with three loving daughters, 10 grandchildren, and 12 great grandchildren.  She was a content and loving person who was devoted to her family and friends, and she never met a stranger.  She came to love the Lord early in life.  During her younger days, she enjoyed fishing, playing games, and traveling.  Her cooking and baking were enjoyed by all.  Everyone looked forward to her cheesecake, and always competed for the corner piece.  As late as age 93, she was adept at using the computer, I-phone and I-pad.  She never forgot a birthday, and she always greeted her family with a hug and a kiss, followed by saying, "I love you."  If the grandchildren would say "I love you first", she would say "I love you more!".  She always put God first, and made sure that she taught her children and grandchildren how to pray from an early age starting with "Now I lay me down to sleep."  Ruth had many old sayings which would make her grandchildren laugh, such as:

"That takes the cake"

"I'm going to paddle your canoe"

"What a crock"

"I'm laughing up my sleeve"

"Oh, bull corn"

"It's raining cats and dogs"

"Excuse the pig, the hog knows better"

"I got a good scald on it"

Ruth is preceded in death by her husband, Bill Nicks; granddaughter, Sara Smetana, and grandson, Cody Compton; parents, Catherine and Arthur Terry; and siblings, Dorris Taylor Kopp, Bobby Taylor, Baily Taylor, Larry Taylor, and Joyce Taylor Evans.

Ruth is survived by her daughters, Linda (John) Smetana, Teri Nicks, and Tena (Billy) Barnes; grandchildren, James Richard (Sheila) Smetana, Billy Smetana, Angela Smetana (James) Brown, Erica Klug, Misty Compton (Josh) Frank, Mariah Tamborella, Zackary Barnes, Brandon Barnes, Heather Barnes (Matt) Sandine; great-grandchildren, Wesley Smetana, Ava Frank, Presley Frank, Emma Frank, Sadie Frank, Zoe Klug, Gracie Klug, Josh Klug, Sage McLellan, Lillian McLellan, Judah McLellan, Parker Brown; and brother, David Halcomb.

A visitation for Ruth will be held at 11 am on Friday, March 31, 2023.  The funeral service will follow at 12 pm at The Klein Memorial Park Mausoleum Chapel, 9714 FM 2920, Tomball, TX 77375.  She will be laid to rest in Klein Memorial Park immediately following the funeral service.

Ruth's family wants to thank her doctors who took care of her for decades.  They also want to give thanks to her care team from Devotion Hospice for being so compassionate and loving in their care for her at the end of her life.

Floral arrangements to be handled through Baker's Bouquet, 806 N. Loop 336 W., Conroe, TX 77301 (936)760-3499 bakersbouquet.com.