Nicolas Russell, son of Jack and Caroline, brother of Bailey and Sidney, passed away recently. Believing they would never have children, his parents felt blessed with his birth. He was lovingly nurtured in his early childhood by his parents through home schooling and field trips. He developed a passion for reading with an interest in mysteries, westerns, and history. Under his grandmother's tutelage he won many awards in science. Much of his schooling was hands on with camping trips to the mountains, coast, and desert. At five and a half years, he was joined by twin sisters, Sidney and Bailey. He loved his sisters and would do anything and everything for them. When Dad would leave for military service, Nicolas would make jokes to allay their sadness. He was a teaser, a creative and outrageous story teller and a master at limericks, many told with a straight face. At Christmas and Easter times, Nicolas would fill-in for Dad by being "Sandy Claws" or the Easter Bunny who color-coded eggs and could not account for all of them. Often, Nicolas' missing egg turned up months later. When he was seven, Nicolas caught his first trout, six inches long. Mom and Dad celebrated by presenting him with a six foot material one. He advanced in Awana so quickly he had to stop when high school materials were not available for this sixth grader. Nicolas made grandma's eye sparkle when he learned "Fur Elise" on the piano. He loved being on the Rio Bravo Greeley summer swim team from the age of ten through seventeen. His favorite event was the breaststroke, especially for long distances. He was home-schooled through the eighth grade and accepted with honors to Garces High School. He last attended Bakersfield College. Nicolas spent quality time with his grandfather on various projects. He cherished being with his father working to restore his mother's MG. And, every so often, he and his dad would sneak off to Burger King for some good old junk food. From the sixth grade through his junior year in high school, he was an altar server who, in turn, trained others including his sisters. Until his death, Nicolas gave up activities with his friends to help at Mass. Playing the bass guitar, cantoring, and helping lead the Children's Liturgy with his mother was his commitment to the Lord. Nicolas leaves behind many wonderful memories with those who loved him: his mother and father Caroline and Jack, sisters Bailey and Sidney, grandparents Ken and Sandra Nicol and Jack and Donna Russell, uncles and aunts Greg Nicol, Dale and Sharon Nicol, Renee and Jeff Miller, Richard and Cheryl Russell, Randy Russell, many cousins, best friends Ivan Bonderov, Jose Portillo, Kyle Towery, Damian McClintock, Rashelle Tafoya-Reyes and other friends and loved ones too numerous to list.Recitation of the rosary is Thurs., Feb. 25, 6:30 p.m. at St. John the Evangelist Church. Mass will be celebrated Friday, Feb. 26, 10:00 a.m. by Fr. John Fluetsch at St. John the Evangelist Church in Wasco. Viewing at Peters Funeral Home in Wasco, Thurs., Feb. 25, 2-6 p.m.