John Clifton Nichols, 83 passed away on Wednesday, January 30, 2013 at Addison Gilbert Hospital with his wife and daughter at his side.
Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on November 28, 1929, he was the son of the late Dr. George C. Nichols and Jeanette E. (Scurlock) Nichols. A native of Gloucester, Dr. Nichols returned to Cape Ann with his family in 1930 to resume his dental practice on Main Street when John was one year old.
John attended the Leonard School in Annisquam, Riggs School and one year at Gloucester High School before leaving to complete his education at the Perkiomen School in Pennsburg, PA.
After receiving his diploma, John joined the Air Force, serving with 1928th AACS Squadron from 1948 to 1952. During this time he worked as an Airport Control Tower Operator and was promoted from Corporal to Sergeant after preventing three F-86 fighter jets from crashing. The jets en route to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, FL had become lost due to poor visibility. John led the jets through a series of 10 steers enabling them to reach the base and land safely with only 30 to 60 seconds of fuel remaining in their tanks.
Following his honorable discharge in 1952, John attended the Cartoonists & Illustrators School in New York City. His talent led to an advertising career in Birmingham, AL, Atlanta, GA and Salem, MA where he worked at Daniel Low & Co., for ten years.
In addition to his wife of 60 years, Alden M. (Sypher) Nichols, he is survived by his daughter Denise A. Nichols, of Beverly, cousins George B. Nichols, Richard, Robin (Nichols) and Jonathan Perry of Gloucester, Judith (Nichols), Courtney and Kyle Nelson of Rockport, Robert, Sherry and Robert Nichols, Jr. of Milton, NH, John, Reneé (Nichols) and Jackson Burke of Strafford, NH, Andrew and Alisa Gagnon of Raymond, NH and brother-in-law Gilbert B. Sypher and his wife Dorothy of Westland, MI.
His funeral service will be held privately in the Mount Pleasant Cemetery. There are no visiting hours.