James Lee Nicol

James – Jim to his family and close friends – had a privileged life growing up with his two brothers on a 30 acre estate. He attended The Anchorage School through his freshman year transferring to Kentucky Military Institute for the remainder of his High School education. There his school year was split between Lyndon, KY and Venice, FL. Having been the first person in Kentucky to make a perfect score on the SAT Test, he applied to and was accepted by M.I.T., Cal Tech and Ga. Tech. He attended both Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Georgia Institute of Technology where he earned his Building Construction degree in December 1959.

After graduation from GT he was accepted as a “Looper”, as Bethlehem Steel called its’ executive candidates. He remained in Pennsylvania until 1964 when he accepted a position with McDonough Construction Company in Atlanta as a Project Manager. There Jim oversaw projects including a redistribution terminal for 4 major oil companies, Liquid Oxygen facilities for NASA and plants for the DuPont Company. In 1966 he entered the family owned business with Real Estate holdings including the Igloo Ice Skating Rink in Atlanta. In 1976 he established Commercial Development and Investment Corporation, CDIC, doing contract commercial real estate development. Throughout his career, he was known for his kind and generous manner with his employees.

Over the decades, his philanthropic devotion to Georgia Tech allowed him the privilege to be one of “The Dodd Boys” and a member of “The Hill Society.”

He remained a devout fan of the Yellow Jackets where he was awarded a Golden Jacket for endowing an Athletic Scholarship with requirements for academic as well as athletic achievement.

He loved Northside Drive Baptist Church where he was a member since 1965. Jim served on numerous committees including several terms on both the Finance and Personnel committees. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Sheila Tippin Nicol, 2 daughters Mary Virginia Nicol and Elizabeth Nicol Fothergill (Mike), 2 grandchildren Elise and Michael as well as numerous nieces and nephews. He is predeceased in death by his son James Lee Nicol II, and 2 brothers Murray Boyd Nicol and William Clarence Nicol.

Graveside services will be Thursday, April 22, 2021 at 11 o’clock at Mars Hill Cemetery in Acworth, GA.