William Henry Nichols Jr.

The Funeral Services Celebrating and Honoring the Life of William Henry Nichols, Jr, 94, of Enid will be held 2:00 P.M. Wednesday December 19, 2018 in the First United Methodist Church with Reverend Randy Mitchell officiating. A private family burial will precede services. Full Military Honors will be presented by the United States Army Honor Guard. Services are under the direction of Brown-Cummings Funeral Home.

He was born May 18, 1924 in Roy, New Mexico to William, Sr. and Lucy Culberson Nichols and passed from this life on December 15, 2018 in Enid, Oklahoma.

He was raised and educated in Centralia, Illinois. In high school he was recognized for his achievements in football, he also ran track and played basketball. He graduated high school in 1942. He then enlisted in the United States Army and served as an aerial gunner. He was honorably discharged in 1946 and enrolled in college. He graduated college with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Western Kentucky State in 1948. He then earned his master’s degree in Refining Engineering from the University of Tulsa in 1950. He worked with the Mobil Oil Company in St. Louis as a refinery engineer from 1950 to 1957. He married Penelope “Penny” Jane Young on May 15, 1954 in Kevil, Kentucky. From 1957 to 1967 he worked with the Celanese Chemical Company in Pampa, Texas as a Senior Process Engineer. He then moved to Enid where he began work with the Champlin Petroleum Company, starting as their Chief Process Engineer in 1967. He then was transferred to California and worked with Champlain Petroleum as their Senior Environmental Engineer and the Senior Project Engineer up until his retirement in 1986 and returned to Enid. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Enid and attended the Sooner’s Sunday School Class. He coached the girls church softball league for years and was an avid golfer.

He is survived by daughters; Jan Dominick and husband Chuck, of Munith, Michigan, Mari Smith and husband Jeff, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Luanne Campbell and husband Dennis, of Stillwater, Oklahoma, grandchildren, Dr. Catherine Lumley and husband Dr. Kyle Nappo, of Washington DC, Bonnie Lumley, of Brooklyn, New York, Sam Smith, of Oklahoma City, and Caitlin Smith, of Tulsa.

Memorials may be made in his name to the First United Methodist Church and the R.S.V.P of Enid.

Condolences to the family may be made online at WWW.Brown-Cummings.com