NICHOLS, Gerald Rex

NICHOLS, ROSENBERGER, DOUGLAS, BRAS, HILL, BROOKS

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 7/13/2009 at 16:58:32

"The Fairfield Ledger", Wednesday, July 8, 2009, Page 8

NICHOLS, Gerald -- Gerald NICHOLS, 79, of rural Mount Pleasant, died Tuesday, July 7, 2009, at his residence.

Arrangements are pending at Kimzey Funeral Home in Mount Pleasant.

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"The Fairfield Ledger", Thursday, July 9, 2009, Page 8

NICHOLS, Gerald Rex -- Gerald Rex NICHOLS, 79, of rural Mount Pleasant, died Tuesday, July 7, 2009, at his residence.

A funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Kimzey Funeral Home in Mount Pleasant, with the Rev. Dan Woodward officiating. Burial, with graveside military honors, will be in Glasgow Cemetery in rural Lockridge.

Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home, with the family present from 5-8 p.m.

Mr. NICHOLS was born Sept. 4, 1929, on the family farm in rural Salem, Iowa, the son of Clarence Lex and Ruby Nell ROSENBERGER NICHOLS. He married Flora Jean DOUGLAS Oct. 14, 1950, at Lockridge Baptist church. The couple later divorced. He married Charlene Kay BRAS HILL Sept. 13, 1988, in Reno, Nev.

Mr. NICHOLS attended country schools in the Round Prairie area and Fairfield High School.

Mr. NICHOLS served in the United States Army during the Korean War in the Medical Corps with the 7th Surgical Mobile Army Hospital at Fort Jackson, S.C.

After his military service, Mr. NICHOLS returned to Iowa and began a career as a heavy equipment operator. He first worked at local rock quarries and the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant in Middletown. He then became a heavy equipment operator with the Midwest Operating Engineers Union Local 150 of Burlington. In his career, he was involved in numerous construction projects, most notably the Muscatine Power Plant and Mississippi River Bridge.

For 52 years, Mr. NICHOLS was a licensed airplane pilot. He owned and operated a Pitz (sic) airplane with which he performed air shows for small communities in the area. He was a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association and Antique Airfield Association with his 1947 Cessna airplane. He also attended the Reno Air Show and Osh Kosh (sic) Air show many times. He enjoyed building and rebuilding airplanes and was interested in motorcycles.

Survivors include his wife; four sons, Rodney NICHOLS and wife Diane of Dorchester, Randy NICHOLS and wife Cindy of Lockridge, Raymond NICHOLS of St. Anne, Ill., and Rich NICHOLS and wife Debbie of Mount Pleasant; one sister, Kathleen BROOKS of Galva, Ill.; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Alvin and Hillis NICHOLS; and one grandson.

Copied with permission from The Fairfield Ledger, Inc.
*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.