NICOLE TAFLINGER, 88, of Pullman, WA passed away in her sleep February 12, 2016 at Bishop Place in Pullman, WA.
On May 11 1927, Nicole Braux was born in Nancy, a city in eastern France. She had a happy childhood until she was 13 years old. That is when the Nazis occupied her city, and her life was forever changed. The challenges and heartache of occupation would end as the Americans pushed toward the German border. The first Allied soldier to reach Nancy, the American pilot Ancel Gordon Taflinger, flying reconnaissance to scout good routes and ground for his compatriots, flew over Nicole's apartment and landed nearby. The residents in the area rushed out to greet the first American to liberate them, and that included Nicole. Dared by a friend to "kiss the American", she ran to the plane, kissed him, and then he was carried away by the crowd, but he didn't forget that kiss. The rest is history. They married one year later, had five children, and shared the joys and struggles of a large family.
While being a wife and mother was Nicole's priority, she had additional ambitions. She earned a Bachelor's in Fine Art and Education and a Master of Fine Arts in Fine Art, at a time when few women in their 30s attended college. She taught art to a multitude of middle school students, inspiring them with her innovative approach and ability to relate to young people. In 1975 she realized a dream: she opened the Nica Art Gallery in Pullman, providing the community with the best artwork that the area had to offer. The gallery soon an gained an excellent reputation, displaying and selling art of all genres by regional and internationally renowned artists. All the while, she continued to paint and draw. She was one of the most prominent artists in the Inland Northwest, and so many residents have her paintings on their walls. Her art is also widely sought, on display in galleries, shows, homes and business throughout the United States and Europe. Her flower garden, which brought her so much joy, was one of the most beautiful in Pullman.
Finally retiring in 2000, she continued painting and embarked on a new enterprise: writing. The result was the very well received book, "Season of Suffering", an autobiography of her early life in France, ending with the liberation of France from German occupation and her marriage to Ancel.
She will be remembered for her contributions to her students, and to the community. In her last years, Nicole never lost her love for her art, painting until the end, and she especially never lost her love for her children. We were fortunate to have her with us for so many years, but that only amplifies the loss, and the fact that such a valued open door to constant unconditional love and support has now gently closed. While she lost her beloved husband many years ago, she would want her children to be mentioned here. She is survived by four sons – Norman, Richard, Alan, and Marcel Taflinger, one daughter, Cecile Lycan, and three grandchildren. Nicole was passionate, loving, brilliant, and intensely creative. She will be remembered by all who knew her as a force of nature -- unique, sparkling, fascinating, and irreplaceable.
Memorial Mass will be held on Saturday, March 5, 2016 at 11 AM at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Pullman, WA. Kimball Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.