Richard Alvin Nicholas, 83

Richard Alvin Nicholas died Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2010, in Amarillo, Texas. No services are scheduled at this time. Arrangements are by Schooler Funeral Home, 4100 South Georgia.

Richard was born Oct. 17, 1927, in Chicago, Ill., to Alvin and Viola Nicholas. Richard proudly served in the United States Army Air Corp. During his service he worked in the mechanic department on prop and jet engines.

He married Georgia Fay Hendrix Garrett in January 1975.

Richard worked for Howard Hughes Tools in Tuscan, and Sandia Laboratories working in the field on atomic energy.

He was a member of the Pipefitter Union and worked in numerous nuclear power plants throughout the country, he spent a great deal of time traveling to Amarillo to troubleshoot nuclear warhead issues; thus eventually moving here from Coeur d'Alene.

In 1996 Richard retired from High Plains Baptist Hospital where he worked as a mechanical engineer. He was also a longtime Amsoil Dealer.

His hobbies included baseball, sailing, particular sailboat racing in the San Francisco Bay, scuba diving, sitting in the hot tub and was known to cuss at the so and so's on CNN. He had what was described as "tinkeritus" and could always be found in his shop that was full of his better and faster ideas.

Richard's family was of utmost important to him, but he was particularly partial to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his parents.

Survivors include his wife; sons, Steve Nicholas and Paul Nicholas, both of Glendale, Ariz., and Troy Garrett Jr. of Arlington, Ore.; daughter Patt Garrett of McCarthy, Alaska; brother Harley Nicholas of Rockwall, Texas, and his many precious grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Tony Nicholas, Andrew Nicholas and Chad Sugden and Daniel Brower, all of Glendale, Lisa Garrett of Portland, Ore., Josh and Sarah Garrett of University Place, Wash., Walt Swafford of Bend, Ore., Bettsie Wild of Chugiak, Alaska, and Jennifer Van Sandt of Anchorage, Alaska; his great-grandchildren, Bryan Gene, Miranda, Lena and Talon Wild, all of Chugiak, Chelsea Swafford of Bend, Andria Adoor and Jessica Clark, both of Anchorage; his great-great-grandchildren, Hailey and Kayden Van Sandt of Homer, Alaska.

Please sign our online guest book at www.schoolerfuneralhome.com.