Mr. James E. Nichols

Old Lyme- James E. Nichols, 82, of Ledgewood Dr., died Sunday, October 24, 2010 in Lawrence and Memorial Hospital. Mr. Nichols was born on May 10, 1928 in North Adams, MA, the son of Edward and G. Alice Lee Nichols.

Mr. Nichols began a career in education as a teacher in Athol, MA before being called to duty in the Korean War in the US Army Corps of Engineers. He retired from the Army Reserve with the rank of Captain in 1967. After returning from the war, Mr. Nichols continued teaching in Stafford Springs, CT where he met and later married Jeanne Frances Mackenzie in West Swanzey, NH. They moved together to Old Lyme, CT in 1961 where he began his 27-year career in the school system as the first Guidance Director. He was then Asst. Principal of the High School before becoming Principal of the Middle School until his retirement in 1988. In retirement, Mr. Nichols was a Boating Safety Educator for the State of CT Dept. of Environmental Protection.

Along with his successful career, Mr. Nichols enjoyed many outside interests. These included serving on the Board of Directors for the Lyme-Old Lyme Senior Center, and as a charter member of the Old Lyme Town Band He also served on many boards at the Old Lyme Congregational Church where he volunteered at the soup kitchen, and enjoyed singing in the choir for nearly 40 years.

Mr. Nichols is survived by Jeanne, his loving wife of 53 years, his daughter, Jennifer Nichols of Coventry, CT, her life partner Robin Gardner and their family, his daughter Janice Christian of Sterling, MA and her husband, Kevin, and his two much-loved grandchildren, Riley Jenkins and Mackenzie Christian of Sterling, MA. He also leaves his brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by his brother Robert Nichols and his sister Phyllis Casuscelli.

He will be deeply missed by his family for his caring ways and devotion as a husband, father and grandfather.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, October 30, 2010 at 12:00 pm in the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, 2 Ferry Road, Old Lyme, CT 06371. Fulton-Theroux Funeral Home, Old Lyme is handling the arrangements. Donations may be made in his memory to: The First Congregational Church of Old Lyme (FCCOL), Music Fund or Soup Kitchen, 2 Ferry Road, Old Lyme, CT 06371, or to the Old Lyme Town Band, c/o Ann Lander, 15 Town Woods Road, Old Lyme, CT, 06371.