Gene Austin Nicholas

Gene Austin Nicholas was born on 13 December 1947 on the beautiful island of St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands to father, Nathaniel E. Nicholas and mother, Idalia C. Henley. He attended Lincoln Elementary School and later Charlotte Amalie High School, graduating in 1966.

After high school, Gene enlisted in the US Army in March 1968. Early in his career, he distinguished himself as a sharpshooter in basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey and later received training at Fort Gordon, Georgia training as a Radio Relay and Carrier Attendant. He was later assigned to serve with the highly decorated 3rd Armored Division in Frankfurt, Germany. There, superior officers took notice of his impeccable military bearing and devotion to duty and assigned him as a driver escort and courier for high-ranking officers. Gene achieved the rank of Specialist 5 and Honorably Discharged from active duty in March 1971. After military service, he pursued a career in telecommunications working for the Virgin Islands Telephone Company for 40 years. He started as an apprentice and worked his way up to supervisor and manager.

Gene Austin Nicholas married Doris Wendy Nicholas in 1973, and together they shared 52 years of love and partnership. He was the proud father of Nicole Nicholas, Sherard Nicholas and Shane Nicholas, and cherished family times including cooking, fishing, boating, billiards, baseball, dominoes and spending the holidays with family.

He was an active member of his church, V.I. Christian Ministries and gave back to the community through volunteering and was a member of the choir.

Gene Austin Nicholas will be remembered for his kindness, generosity, humor, and a skilled handyman for home and auto repair projects, and his legacy lives on in the hearts of all who knew him.

Gene is survived by family including his wife, Doris Nicholas, children Nicole Nicholas, Sherard Nicholas and Shane Nicholas; and his brothers and sisters: Roy Nicholas, Louise White, Cobina Nicholas and John Nicholas; nephews - Roy Nicholas Jr., Shawn Nicholas, Chester Nicholas Jr., Edward White, Dwight Nicholas, Kevin Nicholas, Winston Robles Sr. and Louis Robles; and nieces - Sandra Jones, Andrea Hernandez, Charlene White-Hewitt, Lida Rogers, Cheryl Hayslett, Tracy Nicholas, Natalia Nicholas and Vanessa Nicholas; a daughter-in-law - Luisa Matos-Nicholas. Gene is preceded in death by brothers Chester and Leslie Nicholas, sisters Mavis Robles and Ena Powell, nephews Laundro E. Nicholas, John White, Joseph Powell Jr. and granddaughter Shanel Nicholas.

A funeral service will be held at Wylie-Baxley Funeral Home, Merritt Island on Thursday, 18 September 2025 at 12:00pm. Friends and family are invited to gather and remember Gene Austin Nicholas’ remarkable life.

Favorite Quote: Matthew 12:34: Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.