October 7, 1930 – June 22, 2024
Dee Dawson Nichols completed her earthly life on June 22, 2024, after a long illness. The middle daughter of Charles and Margaret Dawson, Dee was born in Duryea, Pa., where she lived until graduating from high school. Her next stop was Asbury College in Wilmore, Ky., where she earned her B.A. degree in English and met her future husband, Hugh, the great love of her life. Hugh, who played violin, found out that Dee played the piano. They met when he asked her to accompany him for a violin performance. After college, they married and eventually moved to Eagle Rock, where Dee taught school and Hugh was a pastor.
Giving her life to Jesus Christ at the age of 15, Dee led many others to Christ through her example and Bible teaching. She had a tender heart for those who were suffering and went out of her way to help those in need. She freely offered to God’s glory her gifts as a pianist and children’s choir director throughout her husband’s itinerant ministry. In the Roanoke area, Dee led three large choirs for children and youth at both Melrose Avenue Methodist in the ’60s and Central United Methodist Church in Salem in the ’70s.
While singing was always a passion, Dee had many other gifts. She taught piano lessons out of the home to many students, including her daughter, Sherrie. She was an excellent cook, marvelous hostess, meticulous housekeeper, and sewed many of her children’s clothes. When the family moved to Buena Vista in the late ’60s, Dee started teaching English at Parry McCluer High School. A later move to Salem found Dee teaching at Glenvar High School and then at Salem High School, serving as department head for a number of years at both. Her reputation was that of a tough, yet caring teacher. She prepared her senior students so well for college English classes that they would come back and thank her for all she had done to help them excel. During this time, she completed her Master of Arts degree at The University of Virginia, focusing on creative writing. She remained an avid supporter of UVA sports for life.
As if life were not full enough, Dee found time to dabble in all kinds of crafts, including wreath-making, painting, stained glass projects, and doll-making, to name a few. She loved raising plants and flowers and enjoyed being in a garden club. Dee was a wonderful mother who loved her children well. She and Hugh served as enthusiastic cheerleaders for all their children’s activities.
Following retirement, Dee and Hugh lived at Smith Mountain Lake for a time before settling in Daleville. They eventually moved to The Glebe Retirement Community, where Dee enjoyed serving as a pianist, participating in the Legacy Program with local school students, being a Glebe Ambassador, and leading sing-a-longs in Assisted Living and Health Care for many years.
One of Dee’s favorite Bible passages offers us great hope as we look to the future: “…though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are quite small and won’t last very long…but the things we cannot see will last forever.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, NLT)
Dee was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters, Evelyn Walters and Norma Dawson; her husband, the Rev. Hugh E. Nichols; and an infant son. Surviving are her children, Sherrie Andrews (Clarke), Perry Nichols (Susan), and Terri Bradbury; seven grandchildren, Kirk Andrews (Bethany), Keelah Andrews Voll (Eric), Elise Nichols, Katelyn Nichols Cunningham (Landon), Brent Bradbury (Liz), Shelly Bradbury (Alex), and Staci Bradbury (Casey); nine great-grandchildren, Paxton, Wade, Avie, Vallie and Susanna Andrews, Eliza and Esmae Voll, and Hudson and Sawyer Cunningham. Online condolences may be expressed at www.Oakeys.com. Friends and family are invited to a Memorial Service at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, 19 Cedar Ridge Drive, Daleville, on Saturday, July 6, 2024, at 11 a.m. The family will be available for visitation 30 minutes prior to the service. The Rev. Samuel Plymale will officiate. Entombment will be private at Old Dominion Memorial Gardens.
Those wishing to make a memorial contribution might consider the Music Ministry of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church (see address above), or the VBH Foundation, 3961 Stillman Parkway, Glen Allen, 23060. The family would like to thank The Glebe Chaplick Center Staff and Good Samaritan Hospice for their outstanding and loving care of Dee. Arrangements by Oakey’s East Chapel, 540-977-3909.
