Tommy Nichols

Tommy Nichols loved his children and grandchildren (and he has COUNTLESS numbers of those by now). More than anything he was an advocate for knowledge, not just teaching. It was important to him that even if you only had a single brief encounter with him that you leave that conversation knowing something you never knew before. He was a nurturer of free spirits and adventure, an avid fisherman and a professional storyteller.  He had his grandchildren firmly believing in ”one eyed reflectors” until they were at least 20. One eyed reflectors were how he taught us how to drive the boat on the Coosa River at night safely, by staying away from the red reflectors on land. There was nothing he couldn’t do. He was an experienced pilot with 25 years and countless miles spent in the air. He traveled to places and has seen things that we have only dreamed of. He loved to tell spooky ghost stories, no one told a story like he did. He never forgot a single detail of any event, he was remarkably brilliant and a hard worker. His lifelong career was as a talented iron worker with Local 92 where he labored, learned and bonded with family and friends for over 50 years. Tommy was preceded in death by his parents J.C. and Dorothy Nichols and his Brother Ronnie Nichols. He is survived by his wife Marilyn Mays Nichols, his mother in law Virginia Redman; children Warren Mays, Sheree Nichols Cargo (Ronnie), Jeff Nichols (Dee), Kris Nichols Payne (Greg) and their mother Annette Nichols; grandchildren Holly Nichols Batusic, Ashley Cargo Handley, Stephan Nichols, Kalan Marshall Sargent, Ryan Nichols, Abbey Cargo Flickinger, Bradley Nichols, Libby Marshall Russell, Lauren Nichols, Lindsey Nichols, Nigel Mays; Siblings Jim (Donna), Bonnie Nichols Sachs (Harold) , David (Melinda), Johnny Lane (Zelma), Shonny and numerous great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Thank you dad for being the man that you were.  We will love you and cherish our life with you for the rest of our days. We will each hold you in our hearts and carry you with us for our remaining time here on this earth. We love you dad

“I have said before that you are nested in our hearts and you will remain there to die together and to live together with us”. ~2 Corinthians 7:3  Amplified Bible