William Walter Nicholas, Jr.

William Walter Nicholas, Jr., 99, of Maidens, V A , passed away on November 3, 2022. He was born on August 18, 1923 in Hopewell, V A . He always loved going to the family farm growing up during the depression , because he could eat as much as he wanted. He graduated from Benedictine High School and entered service in the Army immediately after graduation. He served in combat in France during WWII in the 317 th Infantry Regiment , and endured over 5 months as a prisoner of war. He had a lifelong love of chocolate - he surviv ed on the troop ship to Europe eating only chocolate bars. After leaving the military, he became an apprentice electrician and went on to work at Richmond Electric Motor Repair fixing everything from cookie factories (taking home a bucket of cookies for a successful job) to trains and ships. He studied at nigh t school making his first TV himself . He went on to work at the DuPont Spruance plant rising through the ranks and eventually becoming a n electronic specialist consultant to DuPont . He retired from DuPont ( three different times) and worked on the family farm into his 90s, building up the strength of an ox to the end. He loved farming and all things nature, particularly going bass fish ing on the Chickahominy River.

He said that his good family is all that he could ever ask for in life and he will be dearly missed. He was happily married for 55 years to Carrie Owen Nicholas who preceded him in death. He is also preceded in death by his brother, Jimmy Nicholas, who was killed in action in WWII, and his sister, Mary Betts Nicholas. He is survived by his children , Linda Rieksts (Oskars) , Mary Su san McNeill (Steve) and William Nicholas ; grandchildren , Brian (Becky) , Isaac, and David (Madi) Rieksts and Stephen and Jonathan McNeill ; eight great-grandchildren , Adrian, Gab y , Will, An n ya , Joshua, Sam, Caleb and Rosie Rieksts ; and sister , Barbara Hellgeth and a host of nieces and nephews. He will be honored at a private service. Arrangements are being handled by Norman Funeral Chapel in Goochland, VA.