Nichols

Funeral services for Lt. Col. Glenn L. Nichols Sr., US Army Ret., 92, of Smithville were recently held at Smithville Church of Christ. Bro. Dan Gully and Ralph Vaughn officiated, with burial following at DeKalb Memorial Gardens with military honors.

Pallbearers included; Bryan Light, Adam Hudson, Brad Wilson, David Purnell, Josh Bowling, Michael Beaty; Honorary Pallbearers; Deacons and Elders of Smithville Church of Christ.

He passed away Feb. 1 at St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital in Murfreesboro.

Colonel Nichols, a 25-year veteran of the United States Army, was born and reared in Algood, a part of neighboring Putnam County. In February 1941, he was part of the Tennessee Army National Guard based in Cookeville, and said unit was soon called into WWII.

He attended Officer Candidate School and became a Second Lieutenant, and later a First Lieutenant. Following the war, he returned to the Volunteer State and furthered his education at Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville. While there, he met a young lady whom he described as "the prettiest girl on campus."

Marie Patterson of Smithville would later become Mrs. Glen Nichols, and the mother to Glen, Jr. and Sharon. He then attended American University in Washington, where he received a master’s degree. During this time, Officer Nichols’ unit was activated in 1947 and shipped to Japan. Later our country was drawn into the Korean War, where he commanded an artillery unit.

Following a quarter-century of military service, Colonel Glen Nichols, Sr. taught business and economics at his alma mater, Tennessee Tech University. He also enjoyed the building trade, had his own construction company and left his mark on several significant properties in the Middle Tennessee area. He also had a distinguished career with the Model Cities program.

Mr. Nichols was one of the seven original founders of the Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce over 50 years ago.

Mr. Nichols was an elder for over 30 years at the Smithville Church of Christ, and a retired General Contractor.

He was preceded in death by his parents, James and Cora Etta Lee Nichols, and mother of his children, Marie Patterson Nichols; sister, Reba Stamps; brother, Robert Nichols.

He is survived by wife, LaMurle Jarrett Parker Nichols of Smithville; one son, Glen Jr. and Margaret Nichols, and one daughter, Sharon and Dale Beaty of Smithville; two step-daughters, Mimi Bowling of Mt. Juliet and Lynn Fann of Texas; 10 grandchildren, Jennifer and Brian Light of Knoxville, Amanda Mathis and Abby Evans of Smithville, Kerri and Adam Hudson of Nashville, Patterson and Brad Wilson of Knoxville, Lori and David Purnell of Lebanon, Josh and Wendy Bowling of Nashville, Kelly and Marco Marcini of Italy, Amy and Mark Strauss and Ben and Marissa Fann both of Texas, and Michael and Monica Beaty of McMinnville. 15 great-grandchildren; two brothers, John Thomas and Dorothy Nichols, and Earl Young Nichols both of Algood. Several Nieces and nephews also survive.

Love-Cantrell Funeral Home, Smithville was in charge of the arrangements

SMITHVILLE REVIEW