Bobby C. Nichols

Bobby C. Nichols TUPELO- Bobby Carl Nichols, 68, passed away August 13, 2014, at his residence after a six month long illness. A Tupelo native, he was born November 15, 1945, to the late Robert Nichols and Willie Bea Nichols Starling. Bobby was a long time member and elder of the East Main Church of Christ. He had a passion for the Lord's church, it's mission, and it's people; serving the church for 44 years, with 23 years as a deacon and the last 21 years as an elder. In his younger years, he served 18 years as the church treasurer. For many years, he taught the junior boys classes and as of late, one of the adult classes. He cared deeply for every member. A member of the 1963 graduating class of Tupelo High School, he went on to a sales career that spanned 48 years with two companies, Malone & Hyde Drug Distributors and SAJ Distributors. Forty-three of these years, he and Donald Dodd worked together daily as a team covering parts of MS and TN. They formed a special bond of friendship that was as close as a brother. Bobby enjoyed baseball. He loved to play it, coach it, and watch it. He was a volunteer coach for many years with the Tupelo Park & Recreation even before he had children. He enjoyed his two sons' school years of sports and served terms as PTO president and vice- president of Tupelo's elementary and middle schools. He got to relive his love of school sports with his two grandsons, as he was the constant white head in the stands or gyms. He enjoyed Ole Miss football and spent many fall Saturdays on the Oxford campus with family and friends. From the beginning, Bobby loved his wife and sons sacrificially. He adored his daughter- in-law and the light of his life, his grandsons. Services will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, August 16, 2014, at East Main Church of Christ with Brother Gary Williams, Brother Darrell Beard, Dennis Hallmark and Mike Ratliff officiating. Graveside to follow at Tupelo Memorial Park. Visitation will be 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Friday, August 15, 2014 at the Jefferson Street Chapel of W.E. Pegues Funeral Directors. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Patsy Goff Nichols; two sons, Matthew Nichols and Jonathan (Nic) Nichols; one daughter-in-law, Lisa Howell Nichols and two grandsons; Ty and Jake Nichols. In addition, he is survived by a sister, Beverly Nichols Yancey of Mayfield, KY and three brothers, James Nichols (Luann) of Laurel, Nick Nichols (Hope) and Johnny Nichols both of Tupelo. He is preceded in death, addition to his parents, by his mother and father-in-law, Hurley and Estelle Goff; his step-father, Dee Starling; sisters-in-law, Brenda Kingsley Nichols and Pat Beggs Nichols and brother-in-law, Bob Yancey. Serving as pallbearers are Donald Dodd, Bill Martin, Larry Presley, Kelly Thompson, Steve Kelly, Marlon Geno, Perry Hand and his brother-in-law, Bill Shumpert. Honorary pallbearers are his three Nichols' brothers; James, Nick, and Johnny and the three Goff brothers-in-law; Billy, Bobby and Tommy.