Timothy Lee Nichols

Tim was born in Minneapolis in 1975 and spent his early childhood in Minnesota with mom Sandy, dad Steve, and younger brother Dan. Tim was a curious child who peppered his mom with questions. Tim loved playing soccer and going camping with his family. The family moved to Arizona when Tim was 8, where he remained for the rest of his life. His love of the Minnesota Vikings came with him, and stayed with him till the end. He especially enjoyed watching Vikings games with his dad and Dan, so they could celebrate or suffer together as one. As a teenager, Tim would play Risk and Scrabble into the wee hours of the night with his mom and brother. Tim graduated from Corona Del Sol High School in 1993.

In 1998, while a student at the University of Arizona, Tim’s kidneys shut down and after a harrowing few months, he received his mom’s life saving kidney. Shortly thereafter, Tim got sober, and he celebrated 25 years sober while in the hospital last summer. Helping other men get sober and find hope in God had been Tim’s driving mission for the last 25 years.

After his transplant Tim returned to the U of A where he graduated with a degree in finance in December of 1998. He began working at what was then Heritage Bank in 2000, and stayed with the bank through acquisitions and mergers, ending his career at Arizona Bank and Trust, where he was beloved by coworkers and clients.

Tim met his wife Tara at a bar on New Year’s Eve in 2002, and they married two years later in March of 2005. Tim loved traveling with Tara. Some of his favorite trips were going to New York while they were still dating, road tripping the Blue Ridge Parkway soon after marriage, and spending their 18th anniversary together last year in London and Paris.

Tim and Tara adopted Melanie in 2010, and Jude in 2013, when both were babies, and the kids were Tim’s greatest joy. He loved playing Zelda and eating sushi with Melanie, and playing baseball and frisbee with Jude. But his favorite thing was taking the family to the beach and boogie boarding with Melanie and Jude. The three would spend hours out in the waves trying to catch the perfect one. But everyone’s favorite adventure was going to Sequoia and Yosemite during spring break 2021, and taking a hike in the Giant Forest as snow started to fall, and then finding the perfect sledding hill outside of Yosemite and spending all day going up and down, up and down, laughing and squealing and just having the best time.

Apart from his family, Tim’s great passion was his faith. If you knew Tim, you almost certainly knew that he loved Jesus. For years Tim quietly shared his love for Jesus and others while living a life that exemplified the love of God. Tim invited men into his home to read the Bible and to ask hard and honest questions. Tim consistently put others first, seeking first to ensure that the needs of others were met before his own. He was the kindest and most selfless person many of us have ever known, and it is because of this living example of God’s love that many people know and love God today.

Tim is survived by his wife Tara; his kids Melanie and Jude; his parents Steve (“Papa Nick”) and Sandy; his brother Dan; his nieces Avery and Annabelle; and truly countless extended family and friends. He loved well and was well loved by many and will be greatly missed.

Services to remember Tim’s remarkable life will be held on Saturday, August 3, 2024 at 10:00am at Paradise Valley United Methodist Church (4455 E Lincoln Dr, Paradise Valley, AZ 85253). Reception to follow.