Polly Palmer Nicoll
After a full and creative life, Polly Palmer Nicoll, 95, passed away in Santa Barbara on November 14, 2025. She was born July 11, 1930, in Frankfurt, Germany, to Mona McCarthy Palmer and Russell Palmer. As a young child she lived in Germany and Spain, and traveled in Europe. The family moved to California in 1934 and settled in Altadena, California, where she met her future husband, Donald Nicoll, the boy next door. They married in 1950 and had five children, raising their family in Whittier.
After her youngest child was born she began to paint and continued for the rest of her life. She had numerous shows in Whittier, Fullerton, Downey, Santa Barbara, galleries on La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles, and the Sawdust Festival in Laguna Beach. She was also an accomplished writer, and published several short stories in literary journals, a book-length collection of stories, and a novel.
During her Whittier years, her travels consisted of annual summer-long camping trips in the US and Canada, where she managed to find time to paint landscapes.
Upon Don’s retirement, they bought 14 acres of almond orchard without water, electricity, or phone in Shandon near Paso Robles. They soon built a barn where Polly painted and where their large family celebrated many memorable Thanksgivings and Easters.
After Don’s death in 2003, she moved to Santa Barbara where writing groups, painting classes and golf lead to many new friendships. Polly resumed travel, cruising to Alaska and Canada, to Europe on the Queen Mary 2, flew to Hawaii, and made train trips to the Northwest, Santa Fe, New Orleans and the East Coast.
Polly was preceded in death by her husband Don and youngest son Christopher. She is survived by Teri Nicoll-Johnson (Mark) of Modesto, Tim Nicoll (Debbie) of Simi Valley, Patrick Nicoll (Patricia) of Santa Maria, and Mona Nicoll (Tom Garner) of Santa Barbara, nine grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews all around the country.
Polly will be buried in Shandon Cemetery alongside her husband. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Kuehl-Nicolay Funeral Home of Paso Robles.
Remembrances may be posted at KuehlNicolayFuneralHome.com
