Richard B. Nichols

On June 7, 2022 Richard “Dick” Baker Nichols of Andover, Massachusetts succumbed to a brief battle with pneumonia and passed away at Winchester Hospital. He was surrounded by his loving wife of 57 years and his two children. He joins his parents Benjamin and Dorothy (Baker) Nichols of Reading and is survived by his wife and soulmate Gail E. (Plouff) Nichols of Andover, his Son David and his wife Jill (Montgomery) Nichols of Plymouth, Massachusetts, his daughter Amanda (Nichols) Trull of South Berwick, Maine, and his sister Nancy (Nichols) and her husband Dr. Richard Dixon of Axemann, Pennsylvania. He is also survived by a Brother in Law Ralph and his wife Jennifer Plouff of Bradford, Massachusetts and Sister in Law Pamela (Plouff) Spear and her husband Dr. Bruce Spear of Wells, Maine. He also loved his six grandchildren Kiah, Hayden, Addison, McKenna, Aiden, and Trevor and numerous nieces and nephews.

Born on November 4, 1940, in Newton Massachusetts, Dick graduated from Reading High School in 1958. While in school, he was also active in the Boy Scouts of America achieving the rank of Star Scout in Troop 702 and Demolay International. Dick was a member of the Orientals Hot Rod Club and enjoyed drag racing his car at Sanford Airport in the late 50’s and early 60’s. He studied for several years at Wentworth Institute and earned his Associate Degree in Building Construction Technology and then went on to earn an Associate Degree in Business Administration at Northern Essex Community College. Dick also served his country as a member of the Naval Air Reserve, where he was an Aviation Machinist’s Mate, achieving the rank of Petty Officer 2nd Class. He served for 6 years, spending time at Weymouth Naval Air Station and Guantanamo Bay Cuba repairing helicopters.

His professional career started at Peabody Lumber and Reading Lumber and ended with 37 years at Brockway Smith Company where he retired in 2006 as Executive Vice President of Sales and a Member of the Executive Committee. Upon retirement, he served on several local Boards of Directors in his industry. He loved his work and the vast networks he built over his career and stayed active with the millwork industry right up until his death. Dick was a member of the Northeastern Retail Lumber Association (NRLA), Massachusetts Retail Lumber Dealers Association (MRLDA), and was active with the Lumber and Building Material Dealers Foundation. He volunteered to serve on the NRLA Convention Committee, the NRLA Wood Certification Committee, and was an Associate Director of the MRLDA.

Wondering what such an active person would do in retirement, Dick put his love for cars into overdrive and created another giant network of some of his best friends, who all shared a passion for classic cars. He owned a 1932 Ford Sedan “Deuce” Street Rod and restored, with plenty of help, his Grandmother’s 1934 Chevrolet Master. His biggest smiles and laughs of the last 30 years were usually associated with his car travels with Gail and his friends.

A walk-through visiting hours will be held at Douglass, Edgerley and Bessom Funeral Home 25 Sanborn St. (corner of Woburn St.) in Reading, Massachusetts on Sunday June 12th from 4:00 – 7:00 pm for those wishing to pay their respects. A service will be held on June 13th at the Old South United Methodist Church 6 Salem St., Reading, at 11:00 a.m. followed by a burial at Laurel Hill Cemetery next to the church. In lieu of flowers, as an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions may be sent in his name to the ICU Fund at Winchester Hospital, Office of Philanthropy, 41 Highland Avenue, Winchester, MA 01890 or they can be made online through the hospital website.   Winchester Hospital - Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (convio.net)