Kyle Jeffery Niccum
September 27, 1983 – January 29, 2006
Kyle was a wonderful father, son, brother, and friend. He loved life to the fullest and always seemed to have a smile on his face. He was born 22 years ago in Illinois where he grew up with his older sister, Danielle and his brother, Christopher in the small town of Plainfield. He moved to Raleigh, NC in 1994 with his family and continued making a positive impact in the lives he touched. He excelled in sports and loved the outdoors, hiking, camping, swimming, hunting, and fishing with his loved ones. He was a happy young man who loved his family and many friends dearly. He is survived by his beautiful three and a half year old son, Cole Ryan Jacques, who is taking up from where Kyle left off, and would make his father very proud.
Kyle was a good student. He graduated with honors from Garner High School and was captain of the wrestling team. His love for the outdoors then took him to Appalachian State University in Boone, NC to continue his quest in Engineering and enjoy the North Carolina mountains.
Family and friends meant the most to Kyle in his life, and he will never be forgotten for this great quality that burned inside him.
He was ready to take on the world. He is dearly missed and will never, never be forgotten. His smiling face will live in our hearts forever. Kyle, we know that you are in a much better place now. We hope that you will watch over us, and help us through the many trials that life brings.
We love you dearly,
Your family
John Ellard Nichols
John was 17 years old and a junior in high school when he died in a car crash. He had a girlfriend and many other friends as well. John liked people and was quite a people person. The things John loved most were his brother Josh, music, cars, people, the Bible, and his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Josh and John were closer than most brothers. They had a special friendship. They admired each other and spent countless hours together eating out, playing soccer, or just hanging out together.
John played in a Christian band with some of his friends and the band was quite popular here in our hometown. He played guitar, wrote lyrics, as well as some of the music for his band, Enough Said.
John also loved cars. He had a Mustang GT because that was what he could afford. He worked hard to save his money in order to buy his car, and he was really proud of it. John planned to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering for motor sports.
When new students came to his school, it was John who first started talking to them and invited them to eat lunch with him and his friends. John always had the welcome mat out, ready to meet new people and make them feel as one of the group.
John also loved his Lord. Sometimes we think he might have been a preacher. He asked many questions about God when he was growing up. John took an active interest in his church youth group, and he would take a week out of his summer to work in a missions based ministry helping people paint porches, build wheelchair ramps, clean yards and things like that. John also had a personal desire to read his Bible and to grow spiritually. John typed out the following on his computer, printed it out on a paper, and hung it in his room on his closet door.
Things to do for God
---Don’t cuss
---Pray when tempted
---Read Purpose Driven Life
---Don’t play Counterstrike
---Don’t watch bad stuff
---Limit computer time
---Don’t cuss (he wrote this twice!)
---Work
---Pray when I wake up
---Do well in school
---Read Bible
---Let God make my choices
---Don’t listen to bad music
---Pray for guidance
---Limit TV time
---Take up a spor
---Anything and everything do all this for God and not myself
John was special to us and he always will be. He wasn’t perfect, he had things he was struggling with, but as his family we are thankful that he was trying to overcome his faults. We are thankful for the 17 years we have been able to love John; we are thankful for the precious memories that we will always cherish; we are thankful that our family said “I love you” often; and as his brother Josh said at the high school memorial for John…”We have no regrets!”
The good memories of John far outweigh the devastation of his death. We will always remember John with a smile on his face, a guitar on his knee, and Christ in his heart. John is in God’s care and always in the cherished and loving memory of his mother, father, brother, and his entire family. Enough said.
Lawrence Albert Nicolas
I feel very blessed to have been married to Lawrence for over 26 years. He was a very caring man who loved his life and loved his wife. He knew Jesus Christ as his personal saviour, and shared Him with others who crossed his path.
He served his country honorably as a Sergeant in the United States Air Force. He was always a hard-working man, able to do almost anything that needed doing. He was a skilled custom rug fabricator by trade.
Fishing and cars were his pastime. When he wasn’t fishing, he was restoring or working on a car.
Lawrence wanted to be an organ donor. He would be very pleased to know that someone received sight due to his gift. I pray that the light of the Lord that I saw in Lawrence is seen in the gift you received from him.
Gene Thomas Nixon
September 24, 1940 – October 31, 2006
He married the love of his life, Geraldine Baum, on July 15, 1961. He was the father of four, one daughter, three sons, and one grandchild. He was a retired tugboat engineer. On October 23, 1982, he was born again.
He was a very simple man who loved God and his family with all his heart.
He loved sitting on the porch under the trees in his swing in the backyard, and talking with family, friends, and neighbors. He also liked cutting the grass, going with his sons on their crab boat, and spending as much time as possible with his granddaughter, who he called peach blossom. He also loved being their handyman.
He was told he had lung cancer on January 31, 2005. They gave him four to six months without treatment. He chose no treatment. He changed his diet and trusted God. He lived 21 months to the day.
He had 18 months or so that were very good. He was able to drive his truck, cut the grass, take care of himself, and do things with his family. He saw beauty in every day, and thanked God for letting him see another. I know he would be very happy to know he was able to help someone else to see the beauty of God’s creations.
Gene Nixon’s family
Laura Jean Norwood
May 14, 1984 – March 11, 2006
Laura was a gift we received a few hours after Mothers’ Day. She was the oldest of three and always felt the need to take care of others. She would give her own life to protect her sister, Kelly; and her brother, Eric. She was dedicated to her belief in God. She believed any struggles in life made one stronger and everything happened for a reason. She always jokingly said she would preach her own funeral. When she left us, our family and church were devastated with grief. Our pastor was torn in what to say to console our grief. We got her Bible and found scriptures there that were highlighted, underlined, and a personal letter to God. Every word she left us was in fact used to preach her own funeral. If there was one word used to describe Laura, it would be dedicated.
When Laura chose to do something, it was with all her dedication. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, Key Club, Science Club, Spanish Club, and the Yearbook Club. She was chosen to attend Girls State; listed three years in Who’s Who among high school students for academic achievement; a member of the National Beta Society; and a dedicated member of South Henderson Church of God. She played soccer and was the number one tennis seed on the varsity tennis team. She now has a scholarship donated in her memory by The Southern Vance High School faculty. When she decided to become an organ donor, we were not surprised. It was just like her to find a way to give even after she has gone.
We have lost our precious gift; and yet, we have gained so much by being blessed with her presence in our lives.
From all of her loving family
Johnnie Nunn
Johnnie was a loving husband, dad and step-dad. He had two daughters, a son and four step-daughters. I think one of his daughters described him just the way he was – a simple loving man. He was also a very giving man. He loved planting a garden and also loved to work with flowers. He liked watching the NASCAR races. I know he would be proud to know he has helped someone to see. We love him and miss him every day.
His wife,
Patricia Phillips
