Dr. Lazette Bevers Chang-Yit Nichols

Lazette Bevers Chang-Yit Nichols died on September 1, 2025 at the age of 86 after a month-long struggle with Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Lazette was a strong, independent woman who thrived as a caretaker of others in her personal and professional life.

She was born in Altus, OK on August 22, 1939 to J.T. and Estine Bevers. They raised her in Blair, OK along with her brothers Charles, Gene, and John Bevers.

The first woman in her family to attend college, Lazette was a strong believer in education as a gateway to independence and opportunity. She earned a BS in Nursing from University of Oklahoma in 1952, an MA in Sociology from North Dakota State University in 1969, and a PhD in Educational Administration from University of North Dakota in 1980.

A registered nurse since 1960, she used her nursing knowledge throughout her life, holding various positions around the country, including ER nurse, admissions nurse in a psychiatric hospital, director of nursing education at St. Luke's Hospital School of Nursing in North Dakota, and administration director of Oklahoma nursing homes.

As the Director of Clay County Public Health Department in Moorhead, MN, she oversaw public programs ensuring the health of her community. Projects included food safety, sanitation, and health care for migrant workers. She helped guide her community through the 1980's AIDS crisis by setting responsible health policies and sharing accurate science-based information.

She met her first husband, Dr. Rudolph (Tim) Herbert Chang-Yit of Port-of-Spain Trinidad, at the University of Oklahoma where they both attended college as undergraduate students. They enjoyed camping across the U.S. and traveling to the Caribbean. They raised two children in Moorhead, MN before his death in November of 1983.

She met her second husband, Charles (Nick) Nichols after retiring to Moore, Oklahoma. They enjoyed dancing and playing competitive dominoes.

Throughout her life, she was an avid quilter, making more quilts than even she could track and generously giving them away to loved ones. Every two years, she joined her daughters and grandkids for quilting retreats to sew, cook family recipes, and share stories.

Lazette is survived by her two daughters (Cheryl Chang-Yit and Cynthia Changyit Levin) and two grandchildren (Yara Changyit-Levin and Summer Levin) from her first marriage to Tim Chang-Yit. She is survived by her husband Nick Nichols and his two sons (Charles and William Nichols).

Donations in Lazette's honor can be made to Shot@Life (www.shotatlife.org), an advocacy organization dedicated to promoting access to immunizations for life-threatening childhood diseases, like polio and measles, to save lives and ensure a healthier world for all.

Her oft-repeated words of advice to her children continue to guide her grandchildren and offer excellent advice for everyone: "Be good, be careful, use common sense…and if you can do all that, have fun."