Rudy

It is with deep regret and a heavy heart that I must announce the passing of one of our oldest and finest forum members.

"JDN" has lost his long battle with cancer and has most certainly moved on to a better place. As many of you may have noticed, JDN was not very active on the forums recently but I imagine that most of you did not know that he was having health problems. He and I had some private communications about this and he had asked me to keep the information in confidence so I honored his wishes and remained silent about his condition during his final weeks. His last visit to the forums was on June 30th and his last private communication with me was on June 24th, just minutes after his last public posting which can be seen here. It was evident to me from that last public post that he was weak and not able to participate much any more but he found the strength to send me one last private message which explained that he was having more bad days than good and that he could only be on the board for a few minutes at a time.

I know some of you will be as saddened as I am after learning the news and I'm sorry to be the one who delivers this message. andy545, I know you and your wife had the opportunity to meet JDN while you visited Dallas. I'm sure you'll agree that the two of you were lucky to have spent time with such a great individual.

It's amazing -- I'm sitting here in tears, mourning a man that I never met personally yet I consider him a close friend. I know from his messages to me that he considered me a close friend as well. The internet (and E60.net) is truly an amazing thing -- it allows for people who share a common interest to become close without ever meeting face to face or speaking to one another!

I don't know what else to say at this point except to say JDN, we will miss you! May your memory be eternal!!
Bye bye, my friend!

The following obituary appeared in the Dallas Morning News on Thursday:


NICHOLSON, JAMES D. Born July 2, 1926 in Quincy, Florida, and raised on a tobacco plantation near Havana, Florida. He attended Havana High School, served as president of his senior class, and graduated at 16 years of age in 1943. As past president of Texas State Rifle Association, he tried to lead in a direction that would reach the organization's potential. He served six years since retirement on the National Rifle Association board of directors. He was a state certified concealed handgun instructor and taught classes at the Dallas Pistol Club since the inception of the CHL in 1995. After service in the Navy in WWII, he graduated from the University of Florida in 1949 and an avid supporter of Gator Nation sports. His career began with the Florida Forest Service and culminated with 40 years of service with International Paper Co. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, James M. and Ann Carraway Nicholson and brother, Paul Nicholson, all of Quincy, FL. Survived by his wife, Barbara; two children, Elizabeth A. Nicholson of Tampa, FL and Mark D. Nicholson of Denver, CO; three step-children, Susan S. Townsend and Sherry S. Lee of Mobile, AL and Stephen L. Small of Rincon, GA; and two sisters, Doris Bert of Havana, FL and Mary Ann Rigby of Litchfield, SC. Memorial service at Salem United Methodist Church in Havana, FL at 11:00 on Sat. 7-14-07. Burial will be at the Nicholson-Freeman cemetery in Gadsden County, FL. , CHARLES MCCLELLAN FUNERAL HOME in charge of arrangements 15 S. Jackson Street Quincy, Florida 32351 850-627-7677

(If anyone is interested, you may click here to be taken to his online guest book and click here to be taken to his online obituary.)

nicke60gre

Ohh no, sad news in our forums Rudy.

JDN was a great member here, with very interesting posts/instructions which I always read. I was very impressed with his ability to deal with technology and computers for a person at his age.

Andy has more things to tell about him, as he met him in person in Dallas.

Here is a pic of Jim with his beauty, that he PM'd me on his birthday's day last year.

God bless you friend, wherever you are now. We will miss you!

BetterMakeWay

Sad news indeed. May he rest in peace, a very important and experienced member passed away and i didn't even realize until now that JDN was that ill. I don't know, for whatever reason i always considered him to be much much younger, and so you've got to respect that.

God bless him and keep him by His side.

ericdbs

very sad.... he is no longer suffering and now pain free.. he will be missed and im am glad that there are forum members here who have comforted him and communicated with him during his last weeks..ericd

grogan545

Very sad news indeed.I have had the pleasure of communicating with him in the forums and privatley.He was a true gentleman who always had something good to add to a topic or a conversation.He will be missed greatly.

katheikia

May He Rest In Peace

Alex.br

Bad news. May he rest in piece.

vegastrashed

My condolences to his family.

swajames

Rest in peace, JDN.

JSpira

I didn't really know James but such a loss is very sad for friends here and family. May his soul be bound up in the bond of life.