Roger Nicholls

1935 - 2023

Roger Verl Nicholls

1935 - 2023

- Roger Verl Nicholls passed away on January 8, 2023. He was born on March 14, 1935, to Verl Nicholls and Ellen Rogers Nicholls in Ogden, Utah. As a young child, he moved around Northern Utah, Southern Idaho, and even Michigan as his father worked various jobs throughout the depression and World War II years. His parents eventually settled in Utah County. He attended Brigham Young High School in Provo, where he played basketball and football and was a letterman and Junior Class Social Chair. Anyone who knew dad appreciated his love of jokes, parties, and other events that started early in life. While he was an only child, he readily made and cherished lifelong friends and his extended family. His sense of humor carried him and his family through many an adventure. Family and friends will undoubtedly miss laughing with him in the coming years. He graduated from high school in 1953.

His parents bought a house in Orem, and two doors down lived the Clives. Roger and Gloria met when they were 15, married after high school in 1953, and were happy together until her death in 2001. Dad was a hard worker and had three children by the time he graduated from Brigham Young University with a BS in Business Management in 1961. He started his career with Kennecott Copper in Magna. While at Kennecott, he welcomed the last of his children to the family before he branched out to take a job in Ft. Worth, Texas, with General Dynamics. Dad left General Dynamics for Lone Star Gas where he helped them computerize their databases. He and Gloria loved Texas and the dear friends they made there, but extended family and a desire to be his own boss pulled them back home to Utah. After learning the pest control trade from his father-in-law, he started Roger Nicholls Pest Control and taught Seminary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Murray Jr High and High School.

Dad loved his Savior Jesus Christ and served Him throughout his life in various callings beginning with the first calling he received after his marriage to work with the scouts in his Orem Utah ward. He loved children and youth particularly, which led to his being on the scouting council in Ft Worth. The scouting council assignment brought about one of the most memorable family vacations. We attended Philmont Scout Ranch, where dad was in training meetings daily. The rest of the family enjoyed adventures unique to every age and aptitude throughout the week. Eating buffalo was a memorable highlight of that vacation. He served in several bishoprics, high councils, taught youth and gospel doctrine classes and served as bishop to a singles ward, but he always talked about his time teaching the 6-year-olds in Primary as one of his favorite callings. He loved their pure love of Jesus Christ.

He was fortunate to find love a second time when he met Carol Craig and married her on March 30, 2002. He gained two daughters, two sons-in-law, and additional grandchildren he loved when he married Carol. Dad and Carol enjoyed traveling, especially cruises and Disneyland. Carol has been a great blessing to dad, especially the last three years of his life as he fought lymphoma and dementia.

We want to thank hospice for their care during the last few weeks of dad's life.

He is survived by his wife Carol, his children Shelly (David) Delaney, Alan (Margo) Nicholls, Laura (Doug) Best, Jourdan (Lisa) Nicholls, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents and wife, Gloria, and brother-in-law Dave Clive.

The funeral will be held February 4, 2023, in Murray at the Belview Ward, 300 E 6300 S. The viewing will be held from 10:00-11:00a with the service at 11:30a. Internment will be in Murray City Cemetery.