EDWARD TYLER NICHOLS

NICHOLS, Edward Tyler,MD, died peacefully Sunday following a brief illness.He was 68. A native of Auburn,Alabama, Dr. Nichols hadbeen a resident of OrangeBeach for nearly 30 years. Hepracticed general surgery inMobile and Baldwin Countiesfrom 1969 to 2001.Dr. Nichols graduated from LeeCounty High School in 1955and earned a Bachelor of Science from The Alabama Polytechnic Institute, now AuburnUniversity, in 1959. He attendedmedical school at the MedicalCollege of Alabama in Birmingham, graduating with asurgical specialty in 1965. Whileattending medical school, hewas a member of Alpha Omega Alpha, a medical honor society, and Phi Chi Medical fraternity.Following medical school, Dr.Nichols did a two year internship at Seward Air Force Basein Smyrna, Tennessee, whileserving his country as a Captain in the United States AirForce. He peformed his general surgery residency at the former Mobile General Hospitalbefore entering private practice in Mobile in 1969. Aftermoving his practice to Bay Minette in1972, Dr. Nichols relocated to Orange Beach in 1977.Practicing general surgery inFoley from 1977 to 2001, Dr.Nichols performed thousandsof surgical procedures at SouthBaldwin Hospital. He served asChief of Surgery and MedicalChief of Staff at South BaldwinHospital from 1977 to 1995. Healso served on the South Baldwin Hospital Board, includinga brief stint as its chairman, aswell as the Board of Censors ofthe Baldwin County MedicalSociety.Instrumental in the development and implementation ofthe first Emergency MedicalServices in Orange Beach andGulf Shores, Dr. Nichols servedas the first Emergency MedicalDirector for Orange Beach andserved for several years as Primary Physician Advisor to theparamedic units of OrangeBeach and Gulf Shores. Uponhis retirement from the practiceof medicine in 2001, Dr. Nicholswas honored with an ""E. TylerNichols MD Appreciation Day""by the Cities of Orange Beachand Gulf Shores. In 2004, TheCity of Orange Beach also honored him by dedicating the firstemergency room at Fire Station1 in his name.Dr. Nichols loved fishing, hunting, drawing, painting and music. He was a charter memberof the Mystic Order of Shinersand the Krewe of 2000 MardiGras societies. He was also aLife Loyal member of SigmaChi fraternity, having pledgedthe Gamma Sigma chapterwhile attending college in Auburn, and a proud member ofthe American Legion and National Rifle Association.Dr. Nichols is survived by twosons, Edward Tyler Nichols, Jr.of Daphne, Alabama and David Spencer Nichols of Canton,Georgia; one daughter, CarolNichols Penn of Lawrenceville,Georgia; one step-daughter,Hannah Kate Rogers of OrangeBeach; and three grandchildren.A memorial service for Dr. Nichols is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.on Tuesday, December 19, atFoley United Methodist Church,915 North Pine Street, Foley,Alabama. The family will receive friends one hour beforethe service.Burial will take place onWednesday, December 20, at2:00 p.m. at Prattville MemoryGardens, 841 Fairview Avenue,Prattville, Alabama.In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to FoleyUnited Methodist Church, or tothe charity of your choice.Arrangements by Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Homes and Crematory, 2551 So. McKenzie St.,Foley, AL 36535.