Tom M. Nichols

Tom (Thomas) M. Nichols was born on Sept. 28, 1928, and went to his heavenly home on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2015.
He is survived by a loving wife of 64 and a half years, Jane C. Nichols; four children, David Nichols (Sharon), Tony Nichols (Laura), Karen Bush (Keith) and Keith Nichols (Jan); nine grandchildren, Michael Nichols (Ashley), Anna Gadoury (Kyle), Luke Nichols, Brandon Bush (Lexie), Evan Bush (Mary Beth), Haley Williams (Stuart), Ryan Nichols (fiancée, Brittany) and Joshua Nichols; six great-grandchildren, Mason and Caden Nichols, Cy and Jude Bush, Madelyn Bush, Kate Williams, and three more to be born in 2016.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Marvin Morton Nichols and Martha Welsh Nichols; and two sisters, Carolyn Murphy and Eloise Rowe. He also reunites with his granddaughter, Emily Nichols in Heaven.
Tom was born in Nashville, Tenn., and moved to Fairhope at the age of 3. He graduated from "The School of Organic Education" in Fairhope in 1947 and received his B.S. Degree in math in 1952 from Troy State Teachers College (later named Troy University), and his Masters in math from Auburn University. After graduation, he worked with Remington Rand Corp. for three years before moving to Gadsden and starting a long teaching career in math - 10 years at Emma Sansom High School and 30 years at Gadsden State Jr. College. Tom was one of the first faculty members hired and the last of the original faculty members to retire. During his teaching time at Emma Sansom High School, he taught math but also served as athletic business manager part of those years and filmed football games for 37 and a half years. He, along with his wife, Jane, were photographers of weddings, portraits and school activities for 40 years and as a sideline business printed B and W photos for about 40 school annuals. He enjoyed his photography business/hobby and served as photographer on many Emma Sansom High School band trips, where the band won such titles as Greatest Band in Dixie and many others.
He played clarinet in the Troy State band and in recent years enjoyed playing his clarinet in the Southside Baptist Church orchestra. An avid sports fan, he traveled many miles to be able to see his grandchildren and great-grandchildren participate in anything they did, whether it be baseball, basketball, soccer, dance recitals or theatre productions. He was so proud of all his family ,and you might see him wearing his Emma Sansom cap along with his Auburn shirt one time, and another time his Alabama jacket, with a Birmingham-Southern sweatshirt, or a Gadsden State sweatshirt along with a UAH umbrella. He loved them all, though he was pretty partial to his Alma Mater, Auburn. At every sports event, everybody knew he was there because his voice could be heard on the sidelines cheering as loud as he could. Some of the team in the dugouts even tried to mimic the way he yelled "C-Mon, Beeb!"
He loved his Chess Club and enjoyed playing with all of the group and loved playing all games on game nights with the family.
Special thanks to all his caregivers at Gentiva Hospice and especially his compassionate caregivers, Kim and Susan, and others who helped so much during these past months. Special thanks also to our family physician, Dr. Webb Sledge, who is more than a doctor; he is like family.
A celebration of life service will be held on Sunday afternoon, Jan. 10, 2016, at 2 p.m. in the sanctuary of Southside Baptist Church on Highway 77 with fellowship afterwards in the Commons Area of the church. All are welcomed to join us in this wonderful time of friends and family celebrating the life of Tom Nichols. Your impromptu tributes to him will be welcomed and appreciated.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to support Parkinson's research or to Southside Baptist Church Music Department.