Gordon Douglas Nikkel, beloved father, brother, and friend, passed away peacefully on Friday, July 4, 2025, at the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital after a courageous battle with illness. He was 65, just days shy of his 66th birthday.

Born in Calgary AB, on July 13, 1959, Gordon grew up in Lethbridge. He was predeceased by his parents, Henry and Katherine Nikkel and is survived by his daughters Tabatha Neufeld, Chelsea Duran, Rakia Pawlowich-Nikkel and Shawna McKay; six grandchildren; his brothers Ron and Vaughn Nikkel; and his sisters Wilma (Neufeld) and Dorothy (Frederic).

From his earliest years, Gordon was captivated by the inner workings of machines. At six, he famously dismantled—and reassembled—a faulty lawnmower engine, foreshadowing a lifetime of mechanical mastery. He put his talents to work on cars, trucks and motorcycles across Lethbridge and Northern Alberta before making Grande Prairie his home. “Go big or go home,” he’d say—an ethos he embodied through generous deeds, “free” advice, and that ever-present twinkle in his eye.

A collector at heart, Gordon amassed model cars, mugs and vintage metal signs, quipping, “They’re my investments.” His dream remained to travel coast to coast in his motorhome, exploring the wide-open roads he so loved.

Family and friends are invited to remember and celebrate Gordon’s life in a brief memorial service at Christ Church Anglican in Grande Prairie (6610 Poplar Drive) on July 23, 2025, at 2:00 pm, with his brother Ron officiating.

“Jesus said, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live.’”

—John 11:25