Sara Nikont Owner of One of Deadwood's Last Core Businesses "Leo's Shoe Shop" Dies at age 94

SARA RUTH (KANE) NIKONT

October 12, 1918 – March 12, 2013

Sara Ruth (Kane) Nikont, 94, of Deadwood, passed away on March 12, 2013 at the Lead-Deadwood Regional Hospital.

Sara Ruth was born on October 12, 1918, in Bowman, ND, one of seven children to Robert and Charlotte (Etheridge) Kane. The family moved to Lead, SD when she was eight years old, and she lived in the Lead-Deadwood area all of her life, except for college at the University of Colorado in Boulder, CO. She graduated from Lead High School and worked for the J.J. Newberry store and the Hearst Mercantile Co. when on vacation from college. In 1942 she married Leo F. Nikont of Deadwood, owner of Leo’s Shoe Shop. She lost Leo in February of 1981 and continued to manage the store for the next seven years until she completed his 50 years in business.

She always felt so fortunate as there was always so much love, happiness and music in her life; the love of parents, husband, brothers, sisters, her twin brother, her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She loved people, music, travel and filled her life with all of these. She had traveled extensively both in the United States and abroad.

She is survived by her children, Charlotte (Don) Dickson, of New Brunswick, Canada; Cal (Myrna) Nikont of Lemmon, SD; Miles (Christine) Nikont of Lakewood, CO; and Marcie Ruth (Alan) Gappinger of Aurora, CO; her grandchildren, Saraya Arnold, Miles Skoog, Leandra, Kane, Robbie and Sara Nikont and special grandchildren Ryan, Rebecca and Laurie; great-grandchildren, Bella Ruth, Emilia, Tyson, Austin and Makayla; sister Charlotte Mowrey, sister-in-law Florence Kane and many nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life for Sara Ruth will be held at a later date.

Arrangements are under the care of the Lead-Deadwood Memorial Chapel in Lead.