Toni Lichius, 77, of Bayard, passed away peacefully after a 3-month battle with cancer on September 12, 2022, at the Chimney Rock Villa in Bayard. Her funeral service will be held at 10:30am on Friday, Sept 16, 2022, at the Community Bible Church with Pastor Brad Kilthau officiating. Interment will follow at Bayard Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to service time on Friday. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Community Bible Church. Online condolences may be made by viewing Toni’s memorial page at www.bridgmanfuneralhome.com.
Toni was born Toni Kay Nixon on January 11, 1945, in Indianapolis, Indiana to Clara Nixon but was adopted at birth by Ora and Mabel Day. She grew up and attended elementary and Jr High school in Detroit, Michigan. At age 11, while attending church, she accepted Christ as her Savior and spent the rest of her life serving Him. At age 13, she moved to Greenville, South Carolina where she attended Bob Jones Academy until she graduated in 1962. She went on to attend Bob Jones University for one year studying Home Economics. This is where she met her future husband, Joseph Lichius. They were united in marriage on August 17, 1963. To this union, four children were born. (David, Mark, Daniel and Beth.)
Toni spent most of her married years as a Pastor’s wife serving in rural churches with her husband. She was a stay-at-home mother while also serving in her church as a Sunday School teacher, Awana Leader, Bible study leader and a Mentor to six very special young women, but her most treasured passion was being a wife and mother.
Toni took great pride in raising a garden every year and canning her goods to help feed her family. She later enjoyed planting flowers and watching them bloom each spring. She also had a love of reading. Toni was an avid seamstress and quilter. She loved to do this handy work with much love for whomever she was sewing/quilting for. In 1988, she met her birth mother and formed a bond with her over the next several years.
From 1990-2000, she worked for Dr. Danny Peterson as a Dental Assistant. From 2000-2002, she worked for Dr David Dewey as a Dental Assistant and from 2002-2006, she worked at Community Christian School as a Teacher’s Aide.
In 2006, she retired and began serving as the church custodian at Community Bible Church until her health would not allow her to continue to work.
Toni was a member of the Panhandle Quilt Guild. She was also a member of Community Bible Church for 43 years and served with the Ladies Missionary Fellowship.
She is survived by her husband of 59 years Joseph Lichius; sons and their families Dave/Kaylene Lichius, Sarah, Steven, Kristin/Shawn Anderson, Mark/Lorraine Lichius, Darrell Lichius, Chris Lichius and Brandon/Holly Lichius, Dan/Sylvia Lichius, Erica Gonzalez, Angela Gonzalez, Hope/Jason Fritzler, Juana Ybarra; daughter Beth/Aaron Kehn, Brynn, Dylan, Caedyn; nephews Albert and Jimmy Dawson; and previous special daughter-in-law Sheila Ill.
She is preceded in death by her parents Ora and Mabel Day, her in-laws Joe and Ethel Lichius, her birth mother Clara Nixon, brother and sister-in-law Albert and Theresa Dawson, and niece Nadine Dawson.