Nicolette Lynn Unruh-Uhl, 36, passed away on November 3, 2023, near Manhattan, Kansas. She was born on October 25, 1987, in Great Bend, Kansas, to Dale and Bernadette “Berny” (Pachta) Unruh. On October 15, 2022, she married Nathan “Nate” Uhl at the Unruh Family Farm. She also gained a son, Tristen Uhl. Together they were working to remodel a big beautiful home in the country near Manhattan.
She was baptized at St. Edwards Catholic Church, Belleville, Kansas by Fr. Don Zimmerman. She received her first Holy Communion and Confirmation at Sacred Heart, Larned, Kansas. She was very ecumenical- she loved to attend Vacation Bible School at all the churches including Bergthal Mennonite Church, New Jerusalem Church, Peace Luthern and the Christian Church. She graduated 8th grade from Pawnee Rock School and graduated from Larned High School.
Nicolette graduated from Bethany College in Lindsborg with a degree in Communications/Theatre and a Leadership certificate. In October 2009, Nicolette was elected Homecoming Queen of Bethany College. She then obtained a Masters Business Administration from Kansas Wesleyan University.
She grew up on a farm near Pawnee Rock, Kansas. The farm shaped Nicolette’s life. She learned about hard work, sacrifice and determination. It was a great day when she got to go home to the farm to ride on the combine with Adam, spend time with her dad in the truck or help her mom deliver meals to the field. She loved her family beyond words, she was always looking up new activities to plan for family gatherings. Thanksgiving and Christmas were her favorite time of year because she could close the restaurant and spend time with her loved ones, she cherished those times. Being a big sister was her favorite thing, she constantly was checking in on her siblings and see what she could do to help. She was a true advocate of agriculture and was insistent about using local products for her restaurant whenever possible.
She also loved nature and loved to be outside to just take a walk with Nate or her dogs. She loved hiking and Nate, Nic and Tristen had plans to visit every National Park. She loved snowboarding, horseback riding, gardening, reading and a good movie.
Work to Nicolette was not a chore, it was just her purpose in life. She applied to work at Dairy Queen at age 14 but Ernie wouldn’t let her start until she turned 15. When she headed off to college at Lindsborg, she went to Salina and applied at Martinelli’s and she called home to tell us that she was sure they were going to hire her so she went and bought a pair of black pants and a white shirt just in case they called. Tony did hire her.
After working and managing at Martinelli’s Little Italy in for over 15 years, Nicolette stepped out to build Nico’s Little Italy from the ground up. There were many people who helped her but she could not have done it with her sidekick Skyler. As an operating partner of Nico’s Little Italy in Manhattan, Kansas she wanted to build a community of service within her restaurant and make sure everyone who walked in the door felt welcome. Her employees and staff were of utmost importance to her. She set her expectations high and pushed hard to make sure each person had an opportunity to make themselves the best that they could be. Some may have thought she was mean or tough but she would not have pushed so hard if she did not believe that you could be better. Working together as a team was also very important to her, so Nic and Skyler planned staff parties for them to practice team building in a fun way.
After Nicolette’s very first 4-H talk at 4-H Day and her first county fair, she was hooked on 4-H. One year she took 43 projects to the county fair and drove her family crazy. She loved the clothing, foods, swine and most of all the dog project. Nicolette was a state project winner in the Reading project and traveled to National 4-H Congress and also to Citizenship Washington Focus in Washington DC. Her love for 4-H was rooted deep and she applied to be a 4-H Extension Agent. She served in Midway District in Ellsworth and Russell counties and loved working with the 4-H families “To Make the Best Better”. Her Extension family also loved her for her new creative ideas and her hard work ethic. She did not quit until the job was done. She then was encouraged to work with the camp program at Rock Springs Ranch 4-H Center near Junction City.
Nicolette always said, “the most important things in life are: God, Family, Friends and my dogs”. There were definitely times when her dogs, Annie and Oakley, were more important than family and friends. Her sister had to constantly remind her that she could not adopt every dog that she fell in love with, but she definitely would have.
She had so many talents and so many things she loved to do and she gave it all when she decided on a project. Cheerleading was her sport. She cheered at Pawnee Rock Junior High and Larned High School. When she was heart-broken about not being selected as cheerleader her senior year, she did not give up. She signed up for a gymnastic class and also signed up to be a wrestling manager and made some amazing new friends. She went on to cheer at Bethany for four years and another year at Kansas Wesleyan. Nicolette also coached the cheer squad at Sacred Heart High School in Salina. Her next step was to judge at NAIA cheer competitions.
Nicolette loved to travel. As a sophomore in high school, she worked three jobs so she could go to Australia on a 4-H exchange trip. She stayed with the Low family and milked cows during the three-week stay! Nicolette was privileged to a college study abroad trip for a semester in Rome, Italy. She returned to Italy an additional two more times. She also spent 40 days in 18 different countries in 2018.
Nicolette loved to sing. She was four years old and sang “Away in the Manger” at the church Christmas program. She had such a difficult time choosing an instrument for band because she wanted to play all of them. She finally chose the French horn. She would always arrange her class schedule to make time for both band and vocal music classes. Nicolette received many honors for her vocal and band talent and went on to play and sing all four years at Bethany. She loved singing in the The Messiah at Lindsborg. The Bethany Vocal group traveled to Sweden, Norway and Germany to share their beautiful voices.
Last but certainly not least, Nicolette loved to share her talents in the theatre. When she tried out for “Godspell” as a freshman she called home and told us she probably would not get a part but at least she tried. But she did get one of the main parts and honestly felt guilty that she took it away from another junior or senior student. But she loved her time with Bethany theatre and it lead her to work with Broadway RFD in Lindsborg, KS. “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” was one of her favorite productions.
A production dearest to her heart was the Pawnee Rock Easter Pageant, “The Way of the Cross.” It is held every other year on Easter morning. She would drive back for practices and was willing to work on every detail to make it a beautiful, meaningful production. Nicolette played the part of Mary Magdalene. The life and death of our Lord Jesus became real to her through her study of the scripture and of Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Survivors include her husband Nate of the home; stepson, Tristen Uhl of Manhattan, Kansas; parents, Dale and Berny Unruh of Great Bend, Kansas; two brothers, Adam Unruh of Pawnee Rock, and Grant Unruh of Carleton, Nebraska; a sister, Danette Unruh of Esbon; grandmothers, Wynona Unruh of Great Bend and Carol Pachta of Belleville; in-laws, Bobby and Patricia Uhl of Texas; numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins; and her beloved dogs, Annie and Oakley.
She was preceded in death by her grandfathers, Grant Olin Unruh and Edward Pachta.
Visitation with family receiving friends will be held Thursday, November 9, 2023, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with vigil and rosary at 7:00 p.m. at St. Thomas Moore Catholic Church, Manhattan, Kansas. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, November 10, 2023, at St. Thomas More Catholic Church with Father Don Zimmerman presiding.
Further visitation will take place at 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Friday, November 10, 2023, and 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Saturday, November 11, 2023, both at Bryant Funeral Home.
Interment will take place at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, November 11, 2023, in Bergthal Mennonite Cemetery in Pawnee Rock, Kansas.
In lieu of flowers, memorials have been designated to the Pawnee Rock Easter Pageant, Ellsworth County 4-H, Russell County 4-H, Pawnee County 4-H Foundation or a cause near to your heart in memory of Nicolette in care of Bryant Funeral Home.