Roy Oliver Nicholson Jr., 94, went to rest on April 8, 2015.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Roy Oliver and Beatrice Nicholson, his wife, Mary Elizabeth Starkey Nicholson, and two great-grandchildren.
Roy is survived by his children, Ron, Pam, and Beth, and their spouses, Phyllis Nicholson, Scott Baker, and Douglas Shinn; grandchildren, Nikki Rehman, Chris Baker, and Eric Baker; and nine great-grandchildren.
“Nick,” as he was known to his friends, was born and grew up in Nashville, Tennessee and graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in chemical engineering. After working for a while with the Tennessee Valley Authority near Florence, Alabama (where he met his wife) and at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, he worked variously as owner/operator of a music store, a bowling alley, and an insurance agency. He worked with ChemStrand Corporation in Pensacola, Florida in the pioneering days of “nylon” and later in managerial positions with Monsanto Company in Alabama, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Ohio. After his retirement from Monsanto, he was especially proud to be co-founder and COO of WRATT (a non-profit waste recycling advisory group of retired engineers). He was an active member of the Knights of Pythias and the First United Methodist Church in Florence, Alabama.
His family and friends will always remember him as a devoted husband, wonderful father, provider, and teacher. He was a kind, gentle, and wise man who was also admired for his positive attitude, strong faith, and sense of humor.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on April 29, at the First United Methodist Church, 415 N. Seminary St. in Florence, Alabama. Burial will be at 2 p.m. on April 30, at Woodlawn Memorial Park, 660 Thompson Lane, in Nashville, Tennessee.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, D.C. 20090-6011, 1-800-272-3900, or online at alz.org, or to the First United Methodist Church in Florence, Alabama.
Friends are encouraged to visit parklawn-woodfh.com to share memories and words of condolence with the family.
