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Birth:          25 Nov 1922 Hollywood, Los Angeles, Cal.
Death:          3 Aug 2008 Ventura, Ventura Co., Cal.

Notes
!PUBL
1930 in Los Angeles, Cal.
1940 in Los Angeles, Cal. laborer CCC camp
Nichols of Springfield, Mass. tree on ancestry
Cal Birth Idx on ancestry
John Nichols, Sr., longtime resident of Ventura County, who delivered the bread and 
drove the school bus and sold the stamps and coins has died. He died at home with 
his wife of 65 years, Ida May (Terri) Nichols on Aug. 3, 2008. His family supported his 
decision to stop kidney dialysis and let nature take its course. His death was swift and 
merciful. He and the family were supported by Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse 
Association and Hospice. 

 John was born, Nov. 25, 1922, in Hollywood. He was raised in Highland Park. He 
joined the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) in 1940 and helped to restore the La 
Purisima Mission in Lompoc. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1945 as an 
Aviation Ordinance man and swimming instructor. He married Ida May Kron (Terri) on 
Feb. 14, 1943. During the early years of the marriage the family lived in Glendale, Los 
Angles, Ridgecrest, Boulder City, Las Vegas and Carpinteria. He rode motorcycles 
most of his life. At age 17 he and Thurston Shinn bought a motorcycle for $99.00 and 
rode from Los Angeles to Seebring, Ohio, to finish their last year of high school, play 
football and live above a tavern. He and Terri rode BMW motorcycles over 3,000 miles 
through Mexico. They later rode 3,000 miles through Canada on matching BMWs. 

 The family moved to Ventura in 1957. He worked for Prosser Bakery and Wonder 
Bread as a delivery salesman. His route was the Ojai area. He delivered Bill Baker's 
bread back to the Ventura area. The family grew up on Bill Baker's bread. He co-
owned, with his wife Terri, the House of Nichols, a coin and stamp store on Main 
Street, near Ventura High School. 

 After retiring from the bakery business he drove a school bus for the Ventura Unified 
School District. After that second retirement job he worked as a chauffeur for the 
Lexington until the age of 80. 

 Some of his accomplishments were: first Boy Scout leader in Ventura County for 
handicapped youths, and as district manager of the Golden State Mobile Homeowners' 
Association he was instrumental in maintaining rent control for mobile home parks in 
Ventura County. He received the 1983 Saticoy PTA award for Outstanding Dedication 
to Children, was president of Ventura City Mobile Home Coordinating Council, was one 
of the founders of the BMW Motorcycle Club of Ventura, founded the first Ventura 
County Coin Club, instituted the recycling program at his mobile home park, and 
started the Beginners' Computer Club at his mobile home park. John and Terri were 
among the original members of the Unitarian Church of Ventura. 

 One of his most memorable and rewarding experiences was riding his bicycle across 
the United States, coast to coast, at age 69. The other experience was rafting down 
the Colorado River with his son, Jim and grandson, Tann. 

 He is survived by his wife, Terri; sons, John, Jr., and Jim; daughters-in-law, Leslie 
Nichols and Sharon Nichols; grandson, Tann Nichols and his wife Nicole Kuzman-
Nichols; great-grandsons, Andrew and Sean; brothers, Gordon and Robert; and many 
loving nieces. 

 A memorial will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 14 at the Unitarian Universalist 
Church, 5654 Ralston St., Ventura. 

 In lieu of flowers donation may be made in John's name to the Remebrance Fund of 
the Ventura UU Church. For more information visit the church on the web at 
http://www.uuventura.org. John always loved marketing. 

 John was a strong swimmer. In his youth he was swimming out beyond the Santa 
Monica pier when dolphins tried to push him back to shore. He said he wished his 
ashes to be scattered at sea, "So I'll be able to swim with the dolphins forever." 

 Arrangements are under the direction of the Ted Mayr Funeral Home & Crematory, 
3150 Loma Vista Road, Ventura. 

 Please sign the guest book at obits.VenturaCountyStar.com 
Ventura County Star (CA) - Saturday, August 9, 2008 

Parents
NICHOLS Robert White (17 Feb 1894 - 28 May 1962)
LUND Mary Mae (1900 - 25 Apr 1988)

Siblings
NICHOLS Robert W. ()
NICHOLS John Richard (25 Nov 1922 - 3 Aug 2008)
NICHOLS Gordon Edward ()
NICHOLS Mary Elizabeth (13 Jan 1927 - 22 Feb 2003)

Marriage To KRON Ida May ("Terri") ()

Notes


Children by KRON Ida May ("Terri")
NICHOLS John Richard ()
NICHOLS Jim Randolph ()

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