Stanley Robert Nichols' Obituary
Stanley “Stan” Robert Nichols, 69, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, peacefully passed away Monday, April 15, 2019.
Stan is survived by his wife of 32 years, Carolina Nichols of Fredericksburg; his daughter, Rebecca Shipp, and granddaughter, Alexandra Shipp of Mechanicsville, VA; his brother, Jack Nichols; sister-in-law, Bonnie Nichols residing in North Carolina; a niece, Lauren Nichols; and nephew, Jonathan Nichols, both residing in Richmond, VA; and many esteemed colleagues and friends.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Pauline; and father, Elbert Nichols.
Originally from Belmont, California, Stan enlisted in the United States Army at the age of 18, in which he completed a tour of duty during the Vietnam War. After his enlistment was completed, he pursued numerous educational endeavors, earning a Bachelor of Science degree from UC-Davis, MS degree (Biology) from the University of Oregon, and his MBA from Oregon State.
Stan was hired by NASA in the 80’s as a policy developer for creating guidelines regarding the payload capacity for the U.S. Space Shuttle. Over the years, he was assigned into various program/project manager roles that were essential to the success of the STS program. He was one of the primary operations managers for all shuttle launches/landings, including robust projects, such as the “Hitchhiker” experimental research program and the shuttle decommission initiative. After 35 years of distinguished service with NASA, Stan finally retired in 2015 to live a quiet life in Fredericksburg with his wife and cats.
During his retirement, Stan enjoyed spending time with his friends, family, and engaging in his various hobbies. He was an avid reader, antique collector, and a history buff. In addition, he was also passionate about the welfare of animals, which was evident with the numerous stray cats he adopted over the years. Stan generously supported numerous charities and causes focused on helping others within his community. His generosity, compassion, and eccentric spirit will be fondly remembered and missed by many.
Stan’s family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Thursday, April 25, 2019 at Found and Sons Funeral Chapel, 10719 Courthouse Road, Fredericksburg. A funeral service will begin at 12:00 p.m. in the funeral home chapel. Burial will follow in Quantico National Cemetery at 2:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Fredericksburg SPCA may be made in Stan's memory online via https://fburgspca.org/donate/ or mailed to 10819 Courthouse Rd. Fredericksburg, VA 22408.
Condolences to his family may be shared online at foundandsons.com.
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