William Donald

Nichols

On Friday, December 23rd William (Bill) Donald Nichols, devoted husband, father and grandfather walked peacefully into the arms of Jesus, surrounded by his loving family. He was 78 years old.

He was born to Lois Maxine Ralston and James Howard Nichols, on January 23rd, 1944 in Sikeston, Missouri.

As a child, Bill enjoyed sitting on the back porch with his sisters shooting his BB gun at the tetherball pole & building model airplanes. He started his leadership skills while in elementary school serving as captain of the service squad. In High School, Bill was involved in various things including 4-H club, photo club & the marching band where he graduated in Romeo, Michigan in 1962. He then attended the University of Michigan where he joined the ROTC, was a member of the marching band, and studied electrical engineering. His love for aviation led him to enlist in the USA Helicopter Training Program. Bill attended Fort Polk basic training in Louisiana in the Fall of 1966, before going to Fort Wolters primary helicopter school.

During the summer of 1967 he went on to Fort Rucker, Alabama for secondary helicopter training. During training, Bill met the love of his life, Maria de la Luz Castro, at a dance in Mineral Wells, TX. They married on September 3rd, 1967 in Alabama, and were married 55 years.

After graduating in October of 1967 he joined the 101st Airborne 17th Cavalry at Fort Campbell, KY as a Warrant Officer Rotary Wing Aviator. Bill & Mary were blessed with the birth of their daughter Laura, just before he left with his unit for Vietnam on July 16th, 1968. Bill returned from Vietnam on July 15th, 1969 & they were blessed with their oldest son Tom.

Bill then returned to Ft. Wolters as a Rotary Wing instructor as a commissioned officer in the Fourth US Army, being discharged honorably from active duty in 1973 to the US Army Reserve as a Captain. Bill attended armor training at Ft. Knox before being discharged from active duty and moving to a reserve unit in Abilene, TX. Bill's military career spanned 13 years in total, and he was awarded numerous awards which included: National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Army Aviator Badge, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Army Commendation Medal, 2 O/S Bars, Air Medal with 16 Oak Leaf Clusters one awarded for Valor.

After being sent to Ft. Belvoir, Va. to Engineering School, he returned to Wichita Falls, TX. and worked as the Asphalt Plant Manager for the Zack Burkett Highway Construction Company for 11 years. In January of 1988, Bill & Mary were once again blessed with their youngest son, "Lil" Bill, who kept them both young and active. While living in Wichita Falls, Bill was a member of the Downtown Lions Club and The Gold Coats Ambassadors.

In 1989 he began working as a District Executive for the Boy Scouts of America for the Arbuckle Area Council in Ardmore, Ok. He was promoted to the East Texas Area Council in Tyler, TX working in various positions. Then returned to the Arbuckle Area Council as the Council Scout Executive, where he retired in 2006 with various top hand honors from the Boy Scouts of America. He was also a member of the Rotary Club while living in these various areas.

Bill loved flying planes, fishing, hunting, woodworking, reading, among numerous other things. He was nothing short of an outgoing, amazing and caring person, with a one of a kind sense of humor. He was a great friend to anyone who had the pleasure of knowing him, and you could always count on a long story and laugh from him. Bill was also a very proud and loving father and grandfather, consistently praising his children and grandchildren. He will be greatly missed.

He is preceded in death by his sister, Jackie Nichols and both his parents.

Bill leaves behind his wife Mary of Wichita Falls,TX, daughter Laura Barnett of Wichita Falls, TX & partner Tuffy Smith, granddaughters Lauren Rooney & husband Michael of Stillwater, OK, Sarah Barrick & husband Jack of Houston, TX; son Tom Nichols of Wichita Falls, TX and wife Mandy, grandsons Eric Binnion & wife Sara, Daniel Sattler, and granddaughter Jackie Hester & husband Devante all of Wichita Falls, TX; son Bill Nichols of Wichita Falls, TX and girlfriend Kara, grandson Joshua & granddaughter Hailey Nichols of Sherman, TX.

Great Grandchildren: Austin, Destiny and Hero Binnion; Leven, Zayden, Leilani, TayLyn, Kalilah Hester all of Wichita Falls, TX.

Bill also leaves behind his sister Susan Kowitz of Birmingham, Michigan, nephews Daniel, Kurt, & Matthew Kowitz and their wives and children. Sister Sandra Reisterer of Muskegon, Michigan and husband Thom, nephew Ryan Nichols & son Liam, niece Jennifer Zanoli and husband Mark, niece Molly Dutkiewitz and husband Brian, and niece Abby Wade and husband Tripp. Siblings-in-law: Lupe Castro of Houston, TX; Magdalena Creque, of DC area, nephew Gilberto Creque & wife Nicole, grand nephew Francisco Creque, Niece Gena Creque, grandnephew Dane Creque and Weston all of Melbourne, Florida; Consuelo Reed & husband Hugh of Athens, Tennessee; Mauricio Castro of Kansas City, MO; Sulema Kimbro & Husband Jeff, nephew Ricardo Kimbro all of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, nephew JW Kimbro of Phoenix, Arizona; Albino Castro & wife Lori, nieces Shannon Bosley & husband Alexander, Rebecca Castro all of Fulshear, TX.; Eloise Burford & husband Adam & nephew Stephen of San Antonio, TX.

Burial services are scheduled for Tuesday, January 24, 2022 at 1:00 pm at Fort Sill National Cemetery in Elgin, OK.

The family asks that In Lieu of flowers, donations be made to: Hospice Of Wichita Falls, Catholic Charities or Saint Andrews Lunches at Sacred Heart.