Fred Lee Nichols

Beloved husband of Ada Marlene Nichols (née Bridge). Dear father of Bradley Nichols (Janet Clarke), Jeffrey Nichols (Christine Nichols), and Jay Nichols (Kellie Nichols). Loved grandfather of Matthew Nichols (Elysa Nichols), Katie Nichols (Cameron Powell), Jessie Nichols (Matt Myers), Ian Nichols, and Erin Nichols (Connor Madensky), and great grandfather of Jade Powell, Lillian Nichols, Luke Powell, Spencer Nichols, and James Nichols. Dear brother of Patricia Belknap. Predeceased by William and Ethel Nichols (parents), Dorsey Nichols (brother), Raymond Nichols (brother), Betty Offutt (sister), and Janet Morrison (sister).

Fred “Deano” Nichols was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather who loved and was loved by all who knew him. He is best remembered as Dean of Students at Waterloo Lutheran/Wilfrid Laurier Universities during his 53 years of dedicated service from 1963 - 2016. It was said that “Over his half-century career at Laurier, Fred helped to shape many of the student leadership, volunteerism and athletic traditions that we value to this day” and in 1995, Maclean’s magazine dubbed him the “surrogate grandfather to thousands”. In 1997, students successfully advocated to name the new campus centre on the Waterloo campus in his honour “The Fred Nichols Campus Centre” and he was awarded an honourary Doctor of Laws Degree in 2008.

After serving in the U.S. Air Force from 1951–55, where he received “The Commendation Ribbon For Meritorious Achievement”, Fred graduated from Fairmont State College (B.Sc.) in 1959 and became a Social Worker in Pittsburgh from 1959-62. In 1963, Fred & his wife Ada Marlene moved to Waterloo, Ontario with their three boys Brad, Jeff & Jay and became Canadian Citizens in 1986. Outside of work, Fred was very active within his community and served as K-W Optimist Club President (1971-72) and President of Kitchener Minor Hockey Association (1974-76).

Fred’s favourite pastime was travelling back to West Virginia with his wife Ada Marlene to visit their family and friends whenever he could and his favourite song was “Take Me Home, Country Roads”. He had many words to live by but his favourite was “People may forget what you said, People may forget what you did, But people will never forget how you made them feel”.

Fred’s family will receive relatives and friends at Westmount Memorial Celebration Centre, 1001 Ottawa St. S., Kitchener, on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, from 2 – 4 & 7 – 9 p.m., where the funeral service will be held in the chapel on Wednesday, October 19, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. To join the livestream please click: https://funeraweb.tv/en/diffusions/62552

Interment at Memory Gardens Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Hospice Wellington, 795 Scottsdale Dr., Guelph, ON N1G 3R8. Online condolences and livestream viewable at www.westmountfuneralchapel.com