She was a retired anesthesiologist, mother of five and loving partner of Wendell Nickell for 58 years. She was an alumna of Kansas State University.

Waitstill and Wendell met as freshmen medical students at Kansas University, subsequently graduating from Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago. She had practiced medicine in Kansas City, Topeka and Salina.

She was a member of Belmont Boulevard Christian Church, ODE Club, the Kansas and Saline County Medical Societies and was a former member of the board of Salina United Way.

Waitstill was a loving, kind and patient homemaker and always a witty and fun loving parent and grandmother. She was highly respected in her profession of anesthesiology.

She was active in camping, canoeing and travel. She loved to spend time at the family cabin in Colorado, which she helped build some 60 years ago.

She is survived by her husband, Wendell, a son Barry Nickell, M.D. and his wife Margaret Nickell, M.D. of Kansas City, MO. Four daughters, Sherry Nickell, Karen Nickell and her husband Andy Wentzel, Stacy and her husband Clark Miller all of Knoxville, Tenn., Nancy and her husband David Kinzie of Richardson, Texas and a foster daughter, Dr. Esther Asan of Wurzburg, Germany. She is also survived by her sister Bessie Rockwell of Chandler, Arizona and she was beloved by her grandchildren, Ellen, Elliott and Carrie Nickell, Solomon and Caleb Willis, Jenna Kinzie, Forrest Wentzel, Max and Cecilia Miller.

She will be sorely missed by her family and friends.

The body has been willed to the KU medical school and a memorial service will be held at a later date.