Rosalee Nickell, 89, of Milan, passed away Wednesday, May 31, 2017 in Rock Island.

Funeral service will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, June 3, 2017 at Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, 201 E. 4th Ave., Milan.  Visitation will be from 12:30 PM until service time at the funeral home.  Burial will be at Greenview Memorial Gardens.  Memorials may be made to the family.

Rosalee was born on August 8, 1927 in Joliet, IL, the daughter of Charles and Marie (Burjan) Gura.  She married Leroy Nickell on April 27, 1946 in Rock Island.  Rosalee worked at the Illinois Bell Phone Company and later was employed by Servus Rubber.  She enjoyed gambling at the boat, crocheting, gardening, and feeding the birds.  Rosalee was known as "Grandma Pink House" since she lived in the notorious pink house on the hill in Milan.

Rosalee is survived by her children, Gary (Vicky) Nickell, Debbie (the late Joe) Johnston, and Kim (Woody) Cather; grandchildren, Gary (fiance Barb Johnson) Nickell Jr.; Jason (Annette) Nickell, Christy (Jason) Drish, Melissa (Tony) Sovey, Dylan (Jean) Johnston, Lanna (Rick) Ryan, and Jenny (fiance Zack Raes) Cather; 46 great grandchildren; 3 great-great grandchildren; and brother, Emery Gura.  She was preceded in death by her husband Leroy Nickell; parents; 5 brothers; and 1 sister.