Raymond Clyde Nichols, Jr.

Raymond C. Nichols, Jr., 85, of 1057 Smalling Road, Johnson City died Tuesday, July 4, 2006 in the Life Care Center of Elizabethton. Mr. Nichols was a native of Camden, NJ and had lived most of his life in Johnson City. He was a son of the late Raymond C. Nichols, Sr. and Bertha Peters Nichols. Mr. Nichols was retired from the State of Tennessee in Vocational Rehabilitation and was a past employee of North American Rayon with twenty-five years of service. He was a Navy veteran of WW II serving for three years on the destroyer Gillespie. He had been a member of the V.F.W. Post # 2108 of Johnson City since 1949. He was very active in the V.F.W serving in many offices, committees, and programs. Mr. Nichols did whatever he could to make the VFW members realize what a privilege it is to belong to this Service Organization and to work with patients at Mountain Home Veterans Medical Center. Mr. Nichols was a active member of the Central Church of Christ and had been a member of the Watauga Lodge # 622 F and AM for twenty-five years. He is preceded in death by: one brother, Carl Nichols, Sr. ; and one sister, Helen Nichols. Survivors include: his wife Carrie Lee Ellis Nichols of the home; one step-daughter and her husband, Judy S. and Leslie Cole of Johnson City; three grandchildren, Cheri Cole Jenkins and Shonna Lee Cole both of Knoxville , Jason Leslie Cole of Washington, D.C.; four great grandchildren, Miriya Lee Bollenbacher, Carrie Kate Jenkins, Laura Leslie Jenkins, and John Bollenbacher, all of Knoxville. The funeral service for Raymond C. Nichols, Jr. will be conducted at 2 PM Friday, July 7, 2006 in the Morris-Baker South Chapel. Mr. Todd Wolfe, Minister will officiate. A Masonic Service will follow in the chapel by the Watauga Lodge #622. Interment will follow in the Happy Valley Memorial Park. Military honors will be accorded at the graveside by the Tennessee Army National Guard. Active pallbearers will be Norman Simerly, Ernest Jackson, Jerry Holt, Bill Hughes, Leon Verran, Steve Townsend, and Tom Turbyfield. Honorary pallbearers will be Gordon Humphreys and David Tipton. The family will receive friends in the funeral chapel from 1 to 2 PM Friday prior to the funeral service.