Gordon Stanley Nicholls

NICHOLLS, Gordon S. 1926 – 2021, RCN (Ret’d) CD - Dad (also known as Nick, Gord, or Gordie) died on Monday, October 25th, 2021, in his 96th year, at home in his La-Z-Boy chair. His health had been up and down over the last year. He had told Mom that he hoped to go before she did, but he outlived her by 25 years! He said it was all that exercise he got while working.

Dad is survived by his son Bill (Karen Kelly) and daughter Theresa (Bill Nye), his grandchildren Jacob and Leah, and Anthony; his sister Ethel Brown (SK), and sister-in-law Chris Nicholls (BC), and many nieces and nephews including great-great-great nieces, and many honourary cousins.

Dad was born in Ontario in June 1926, to his parents William and Ethel (Rawson). He grew up in the Muskoka and Matheson areas of Ontario in farming country.

Dad started work as a cook in the various lumber and mining camps of Northern Ontario. He joined the RCNVR near the end of WWII (1945/46). Upon leaving the Navy he returned to Toronto where he met Mom. They were married in July 1952. Dad had rejoined the Canadian Navy, in February 1952, as a cook, and so they relocated to Dartmouth. Dad served at various installations and ships of the East Coast Navy, and on one ship on the West Coast, including HMCS Stadacona, and the aircraft carriers HMCS Magnificent and Bonaventure. He also spent time in Camp Borden and CFB Goose Bay.

Dad retired from the Navy in 1976. The various jobs he held after that were taxi-cab driver; and cook for Dome Petroleum on the oil-rigs in the Beaufort Sea, VIA Rail on the 3-day Halifax to Montreal run (he said he made 53 runs one year!), on a dredger in Saint John Harbour, and on a vessel that was being relocated from the West to the East Coasts via the Panama Canal. Dad finished his working life with the Canadian Coast Guard, in 1991.

Dad loved his Toronto sports teams: the Maple Leafs, the Blue Jays, and the Argonauts. He read voraciously: he preferred mystery novels, and his daily newspaper in which he did the daily crosswords, the cryptoquote, and the Lexicon. In his younger days he bowled in a league, played Bingo, and hooked rugs. He was also a great card player. Dad was renowned for his butter tarts and tortierres. He had a vegetable garden for several years and his tomatoes were delicious.

Dad was so hard of hearing in his later years that it hid his love to talk and tell stories. Dad, at 91, became the oldest person at that date in NS to receive a Cochlear Implant. Dad had no use for technology. He figured that would be for his next time around. He was content with his books; and watching the sports games, the Price is Right, Wheel of Fortune, and Jeopardy on the TV, often with the sound off.

Dad loved to give hugs to his fellow parishioners at Christ Church. CoVid-19 took that away from him. He would help out at Church Dinners, and with the food donated monthly to Margaret’s House. He was also a faithful member of the Dartmouth Seniors Service Centre, of which he was a Life Member, spending most weekday mornings there, and also eating lunch.

In his later years Bessie Rutter became a special friend. He would visit her at Oakwood Terrace every week until her death.

He was predeceased by his wife, E. Evelyn (Martin), his son, Paul (in infancy), and daughter Dorothy (10 years old); his parents; his stepmothers Elsie (Waldron), and Beatrice (Glass), and his siblings and spouses Marguerite and Alvin Olimer, Ken and Nan Nicholls, Elsie and Ken Hooper, Allen Brown, Carol and Milton Ginter, and John Nicholls; as well as Mom’s sisters and brothers, our honourary aunts and uncles, and Godparents.

We would like to thank all the health care personnel we met in the course of Dad’s care: especially Northwood Home Care workers, the VON nurses, the paramedics and fire fighters, the hospital nurses and technicians, the various doctors involved in his care, Veteran’s Affairs VIP program, Red Cross HELP, and Mitch Devoe and Dr. Irwin from Palliative Care. We would also like to thank our neighbours and friends who helped us out when needed. You all helped him live longer, and to remain at home where he was most comfortable.

Funeral arrangements have been handled by A.L. Mattatall Funeral Home. Visitation will take place on Friday, November 5th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Christ Church Anglican Church at the corner of Ochterloney and Wentworth Streets, Dartmouth NS. Dad’s memorial service will also be there on Saturday, November 6th at 11:00 a.m. with a reception following at the back of the Church. Masks and proofs of vaccination are required. Cremation has taken place and interment will be at 3:30 p.m. at Dartmouth Memorial Gardens at 767 Main St., Dartmouth. Donations in his name may be made to Christ Church, its food bank, Cystic Fibrosis, or any charity of your choice. Thank you everyone. Online condolence may be sent to: www.mattatallfuneralhome.com