S. THOMAS NICCOLLS

The Rev. Dr. S. Thomas Niccolls, a resident of Copeland Oaks retirement community, died on Sunday, January 10, 2010. An ordained Presbyterian minister, Rev. Niccolls was educated at Park College in Parkville, MO, Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Kentucky and Ohio University in Athens.

Born June 17, 1929 he was the oldest son of Samuel and Mary King (Robertson) Niccolls and is survived by two brothers, Richard (Bette) Niccolls of Cedar Rapids, IA and John Taylor (Jeanne) Niccolls of Round Hill, VA.

He was preceded in death by his sister Mary Rose (Bill) Raufer.

He enjoyed 58 years of marriage to Betty Stuart Niccolls, and treasured their children, John Stuart Niccolls (Connie) of Leesburg, VA, Martha Wittine (Barry) of Parma Hts, Philip Niccolls of Round Hill VA, Nancy Clark (Ted) of Bellevue, OH and their grandchildren: Beth Wittine, Katie Eble (Max), Adam Clark and Miguel Clark, and great-grandchild, Avryana Fernandez-Clark.

After serving the Main St Presbyterian Church in Petersburg, IN (54-58), Rev. Niccolls became a campus minister at Ohio University (58-70) and then at Hiram College (70-92) where he was Chaplain and Professor of Religious Studies. He enjoyed teaching the history of religious arts, religion and drama, morality and the arms race, and the meaning of the comic traditions. He often recruited students to build homes with partner families for Habitat for Humanity. Rev. Niccolls liked to create dramatic presentation such as “Joseph Badger: Pioneer, Patriot and Missionary to 19th Century Ohio” as well as “Abraham Lincoln and the Clergy.” He performed over 200 times as “Nibs the Clown” from California and Cuba to the Soviet Union as well as in many US schools, churches and community groups. His “tomfoolery” often was a part of the Hiram Village 4th of July parade.

After the Niccolls family had constructed their rustic home in Hiram, OH, Rev. Niccolls continued his love of woodworking by building ukuleles, dulcimers, a harp and a replica 17th century English harpsichord. He composed hymns and Christmas carols and played trombone with a swing era big band, the Garrettones. But he considered concerts of the world class Cleveland Orchestra the peak of his musical enjoyment. Active in the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program for over 25 years, the Niccolls family often hosted peace activists from overseas as well as international college students. He left a fat file of letters on social issues that he had written to US presidents and Congress as well as Op-Ed pieces for local and national newspapers. For three decades he had written monthly Amnesty International letters on behalf of prisoners of conscience.

A memorial service will be held at the Copeland Oaks Chapel in Sebring Ohio on Friday, January 15, 2010 at 3:00 p.m. Another memorial service will be held at Hiram Christian Church on Saturday, January 16, 2010 at 10:30 a.m. followed by a private family burial of ashes in the Fairview Cemetery, Hiram, Ohio.

Memorial gifts are suggested for the Hiram Christian Church, 6868 Wakefield Rd., PO Box 937, Hiram, Oh. 44234 or the Life Care Fund of Copeland Oaks, 715 South Johnson Rd., Sebring, Oh. 44671.