Mr. John Henry Nichols Jr.

John Henry Nichols, died at his home in Dedham, Massachusetts on Monday, May 13, 2002. He was 90 years old. From 1930’s to the late 1970’s, Mr. Nichols was a leading figure in the Boston wool trade.

Born in Wellesley Hills Massachusetts on August 21, 1911, son of John Henry Nichols and Ruth (Webster) Nichols. He graduated from Yale University in 1934.

After graduation, Mr. Nichols joined Nichols and Company, a worsted top manufacturing company founded by his uncle and father. Trained in mills and warehouses around Boston, Mr. Nichols became a specialist in the analysis and purchase of huge quantities of wool in this country and abroad, notably Australia and South America. He was a vice president of the company and ran its wool operation in Boston. In 1945, he served on an industry advisory committee of the Department of Agriculture. Later he was chairman of the nominating committee of the Boston Wool Trade and a member of the wool committee of the New York Cotton Exchange.

In 1970, Mr. Nichols left the company, which was renamed Wellman, Inc; to pursue other business and personal interests. A political liberal, he formed a charitable trust that benefited dozens of environmental and humanitarian organizations. He was a benefactor of Yale University, the Pine Street Inn, and the Boston University School of Medicine, where in 1995 he helped establish the John H. Nichols, Jr. and Doris A. Nichols Laboratory for the study of molecular genetics in Parkinson’s Disease and related disorders in honor of his wife of 61 years, who died of Parkinson’s in 1995.

For many years he served on various boards of the First and Second Unitarian Church in Boston. An ardent sailor, he entered his own schooner in the 1932 Bermuda race and cruised much of the eastern seaboard. He was a golfer and a member of The Country Club in Brookline and other clubs, where he won numerous championships. A man of many interests, he was a gardener and an amateur radio operator, broadcasting for many years as KWIB AND W1QPN.

Survived by his son, Peter M. Nichols of Pelham, New York, a daughter, Virginia Nichols Kreis of Chestnut Hill, MA; six grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

A Memorial Service and Celebration of his Life will be held on Thursday, May 23 at 11 O’clock A.M. at The First and Second Church, 66 Marlborough Street (corner of Berkley Street) Boston. The Rev. Stephen Kendrick, Pastor will officiate along with the former Pastor, Rev. Rhys Williams. A private burial service will be conducted at Newton Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation, for Parkinson’s Research, Grand Central Station, P.O. Box 4777, New York, New York 10163 or, Multiple Sclerosis Research Fund, Office of Medical Development, Yale University of Medicine, P.O. Box 7611, New Haven, CT. 01519-1714, attention, Bonnie Sargent.

Funeral Arrangements under the direction of J. S. Waterman and Sons-Waring Funeral Home, Wellesley, Massachusetts. 781-235-4110