Samuel Nykolayow
Samuel “Sam” Dean Nykolayow, 88, of Florence, Mont., passed away peacefully on Aug. 23, 2025, holding the hand of his beloved wife of 52 years, Georgietta.
Sam was born on Feb. 19, 1937, in rural Wolf Point, Mont., to William Wasal and Barbara (Oshanek) Nykolayow. The youngest of a large farming family, Sam’s early years were marked by resilience and responsibility. With his siblings married and or drafted during World War II and Korean War, he began farming alongside his father at an early age. He attended a one-room schoolhouse through the eighth grade, where one teacher famously remarked that he “put the mule in Samuel.”
Despite long days of work, Sam cultivated a lifelong love of reading, often staying up late with a flashlight and a good book. After graduating school, he proudly served his country as a U.S. Army radio operator in an artillery unit in Germany from 1959 to 1961. He returned home early to help his father, who passed away that same year.
Sam’s career path was as diverse as it was adventurous. Over the years, he worked in the oilfields, ran his own dump truck business, co-owned a feed store, managed a concrete plant for Simplot Company, and operated precious metal and gem mines in Colorado, Minnesota and Mexico. His industrious spirit and willingness to take risks reflected his determination to provide for his family and explore life’s opportunities.
On Oct. 20, 1962, Sam married Wendy Ellen Worthington in Fallon, Mont. Together, they welcomed two children, Deena Marie and James John, before later parting ways. On Aug. 25, 1967, he married Judy Lee Stahl and, together, they had one son, Jeffrey Sam. After their divorce, Sam found his lifelong partner, marrying Georgietta Dachtler in 1973. The two built a life of over five decades together, filled
