Nickolas Asper

Nickolas Asper, 70, of La Grande, died April 27 at St. Luke's Hospital in Boise. A funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Island City Ward) on McAlister Road and Cove Avenue.

Nickolas was born April 14, 1940, to Mike and Lodema Cox Asper. Nick attended grade school in Telocaset and high school in Union where he was a sports photographer for the school paper. He attended Eastern Oregon College.

He married Laura Sadler in 1960. They had five children: two boys, Sam and Michael, and three girls, Nicky, Peggy and Sandy Lee. Nick worked as a millwright in Elgin for a while, but in 1970, the family moved to Pennsylvania. There, Nick worked as a mechanic at a mouse-trap factory. Then he moved to New Jersey. After a divorce, Nick met and married Judith Smolar.

The couple had five children, Joseph, Linda (who died in infancy), Jennifer, Nickolas and Ida.

In December 2001, Nick and Judy moved back to Eastern Oregon where they have lived together since.

Nick was on dialysis for eight years.

He is survived by his wife, Judy; his mother, Lodema; brothers, Pat and Bob; and nine children.

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