Wayne &Ldquo;Nick&Rdquo; Nicholas

Wayne M. (Nic) Nichols was born to Francis and Marlowe Nichols on May 12, 1931 in Wagner, South Dakota. He passed away at home on July 21,2012 after a lengthy illness.

Nic grew up in South Dakota and California. He had one sister, Joanne, and 2 half siblings, Mickey and Patricia. He graduated from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree and from medical school at the University of Chicago. He served in the Air Force, stationed in Louisiana, during the Korean War.  He married Mollie Talsma in 1958. They had two children, Mike and Donna, and were married 53 and a half years.

Nic came to Wray in 1963 to practice medicine with Dr. Lawrence Buchanan, a man he greatly admired. He enjoyed hunting, especially pheasant hunting in the area around Wray. His passions included golf and flying. He learned to fly while living in Wray and flew for pleasure and for work for many years. He flew for Angel Flight, transporting patients to treatment locations in the 1990′s. His passion for golf led him to courses throughout North America.  Nic restored old cars in his spare time including a Ford Model A, a 1939 Ford and a classic Thunderbird.

He was in general practice in Wray for several years, at one point commuting to Denver to learn to give anesthesia.  Later Nic did locum tenet work, filling in for doctors in small practices who needed time off.  Following that, he was an emergency room physician in Liberal, KS.

In his retirement Nic traveled extensively with Mollie.  They went to Africa, Europe, Australia and many other places.  They avoided winters in Wray for many years, spending them instead in Chapala, Mexico and later in Green Valley, AZ.  Nic and Mollie made many dear friends in their travels and throughout Nic’s life. They enjoyed happy times with their children and grandchildren hosting them on trips and celebrating special occasions. Nic loved living in Wray, CO and he and Mollie never had a regret about moving to this community. It is a special place, blessed by God

Nic was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Joanne. He is survived by his wife Mollie; his son and daughter-in law, Mike and Kelly Nichols of Greeley, CO; daughter and son­ in law Donna and Jeff Iwasaki of Portland, OR; grandchildren: Tyler Nichols of Fort Collins, CO; Grant Nichols of Greeley, CO; Thomas, Molly, and Casey of Portland, OR.

Services were held at 1st Christian Church, Wray, CO. on Wednesday July 25 at llAM.

Family Requests No Flowers. Donations may be made to www.samaritanspurse.org

Memorials may be made to the Samaritan’s Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, North Carolina 28607. Spellman-Schmidt Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

As a doctor, Nick’s wish was to donate his body to

The Colorado State Anatomical Board

University of Colorado Health Science Center

for further medical research and study.