Doug Nichols

He was a loving husband, father, brother, and friend to everyone. Doug was always willing to lend a helping hand. He retired from Kingsport Press after 25 years as a supervisor. He served his country in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. He was a member of Port City Church.

Preceded in death by parents George & Mary Nichols, Sisters Janette Moody, Iona Mahan; Brothers James, Hassel, Ronnie, Derril, and Jan Nichols.

Doug is survived by wife Shirley McNew Nichols of 65 years of marriage; Daughter Zenda Nichols, Grandchildren Joni Galyon, Becky Fuqua; Great Grandchildren Jordan Galyon, Chris Runyon, and Zara Phillips; Brother Gordon Nichols; Sister Karen Castle & (David); Special former Son-in-law Mark Galyon; Several nieces and nephews.

Nichols family will receive friends Monday Jan 3, 2021 from 4-6 PM and a funeral service will be held at 6 PM at East Lawn Funeral Chapel. Graveside service will be held Tuesday Jan. 4, 2021 at Mt. Home National Cemetery in Johnson City at 11 AM. Officiating will be Rev. David Castle.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.eastlawnkingsport.com for the Nichols family.

Biography:

Rodney Douglas Nichols was born in the small mining town of Trammel, Virginia. He always said the town's name meant toil and sorrow. His father worked in the mines but didn't want his sons to end up as miners. So he packed up the family and moved to Kingsport, TN. They had nowhere to live when they first arrived, so they ended up staying with the McGrady family who were cousins of his father. George and Mary Nichols eventually had 10 children.

The father, George, had to be away from home quite a bit in order to support his large family. Several of the older children had grown up and moved out of the house, so Doug was very involved in helping his mother keep the other children in line.

He eventually enlisted in the Navy, following in his older brother Gordon's footsteps. Doug sent nearly all of his paycheck home to his parents for the duration he was in the Navy. For those who knew him for very long, also had probably heard one of his many stories about his time spent in service to his country. The bar fight he started, the time everyone on the ship thought he had died, the story of eating spaghetti in Italy. This man had so many stories!

After being discharged from the Navy, one of his Navy pals told him to visit his girlfriend back home. That girlfriend was Shirley McNew whom he ended up marrying and spent the next 65+ years in marriage. They had a daughter, Zenda.

Doug ended up working at the Kingsport Press and quickly climbed the ladder there to supervisor. Anytime there was a department in dire straights, he was sent to get things in order. He also transferred for a short time to Fairfield, PA when the company was opening a new branch.

Doug was always ready to lend a helping hand to anyone who asked. He was a jack of all trades. He could do most anything.

Something most people may not know is that Doug was a poet.

At 58, he had a heart attack at work and ended up retiring. His family was very worried about him, especially after he bought a fixer-upper house. Even though he had a heart attack, he and his wife managed 3 to 4 rental houses for many years.

Who knows. Maybe the rental houses and the refusal to have heart surgery helped him to defy all odds and live until the age of 90.

He excelled as a son, father, grandfather, brother, friend, landlord, mechanic, painter, Carpenter, furniture refinisher; a poet, plumber, electrician, boater.

To know him was to love him!