Obituary for Richard Nicholas

Richard Nick Nicholas

December 15, 1931 – November 21, 2024

Richard (Nick) Nicholas, of Ponca City, OK, passed away at Via Christi Village on November 21, 2024, at the age of 92. A Memorial Mass will be 10:00 AM, Saturday, November 30, 2024, as St. Mary’s Catholic Church with Father Carson Krittenbrink officiating. Burial will immediately follow at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home & Crematory, 505 W. Grand Ave, Ponca City, OK, 74601.

Richard was born December 15, 1931, in Paris, Arkansas and lived there through the first grade until his father’s work as a WPA Time Keeper took the family to Batesville, Jonesboro, Little Rock and twice to Russeville, Arkansas, and then a final move to Fort Smith, Arkansas, in 1944, where he graduated from High School in 1950. On January 2, 1951, during the Korean War, Richard, along with several of his high school classmates, enlisted in the Air Force and took basic training at Lackland AFB and Sheppard AFB in Texas. Upon completion of training he served as a medical tech at Hamilton AFB California, Ladd AFB Fairbanks, Alaska, and a Radar Site just west of Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

Richard received his discharge from Vance AFB at Enid, Oklahoma, on December 13, 1954. After his discharge, he returned to Ft. Smith, where he attended Fort Smith Jr. College, and then the University of Arkansas, before enrolling at Oklahoma State Tech, where he graduated in 1957. Richard was the first recipient of their 1st Outstanding Student Award. On August 19, 1957, Richard went to work for Continental Oil Company in their Central Engineering Department, and retired May 1, 1992, as Chief Designer.

Richard is survived by: Deanna, his BEAUTIFUL wife of 66 years; three children, Greg Nicholas and wife, Terry, of Oklahoma City, Debbie McEntire and husband, Chris, of Newkirk, Gary Nicholas and wife, Keri, of Ponca City; eight grandchildren, Derek Nicholas and wife, Hailie, Brent Nicholas and wife, Mallory, Cory Goodno and wife, Kacey, Dustin Goodno and wife, Madison, Ty Goodno and wife, Samantha, Cierra Usry, Adam Nicholas and wife, Jessica, Amy Nicholas; step-grandchildren, Lauren Cremers and husband, Blaine; and ten great-grandchildren. Richard was proceeded in death by his father, John D. Nicholas, who passed away December 15, 1970, and his mother, Dorothy E. Baber, who passed away November 22, 2001.

Source: Trout Funeral Home