James Byron Nichols
March 28, 1936-June 27, 2023
Yuma, Arizona
Former Palo Alto resident James Byron Nichols passed away peacefully on June 27, 2023, at Yuma Regional Medical Center in Yuma Arizona. Cause of death was anoxic brain injury following cardiac arrest on June 19.
Jim was born on March 28, 1936, to James Byron Nichols and Elizabeth Jean Smith in Palo Alto. He was raised in several towns in the Bay Area in a multi-generational household after his parents’ divorce when he was an infant. After graduating from Berkeley High School in 1953, he enrolled at San Francisco State University, earning a Master’s Degree in Education. At SF State he met his first wife, Dorothy Ann Feeney. They moved to Palo Alto, raising two sons, Trey and Chris, while pursuing their careers in education. A few years after their divorce in 1969, Jim remarried, and with his second wife, Sandi, moved to Sunnyvale and had a daughter, Kristin. In 1987, several years after Sandi’s passing from non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Jim married his third wife, Geri, with whom he shared 36 years of happy marriage.
Jim was a beloved teacher in the Palo Alto Unified School District, starting as a Language/Speech Specialist at Greendell and Fairmeadow Elementary Schools, where he taught Deaf and hard of hearing students. He also served as Principal in PAUSD Special Education summer programs. He later worked as a Program Specialist for Santa Clara County Office of Education, but his love of teaching soon brought him back to the classroom. He spent several happy years at Gunn High School in Palo Alto teaching a special day class for students with communication and learning disabilities; his final year in the District was spent at Palo Alto High school as a Special Education Resource Specialist, giving support to both teachers and students in general education classes. Jim was admired by his colleagues as well as his students, who often came back to visit him after graduation.
Jim was admired for his intelligence, compassion, and playful sense of humor. He was a talented singer and ukulele player, partly inspired by the great Cliff “Ukulele Ike” Edwards. While modest about his tremendous musical talent, Jim earned the nickname “Ukulele Nick” by friends and colleagues who heard him play.
A recreational stage actor, Jim performed in many productions in the 1970’s and 80’s with the Sunnyvale Community Players, including M*A*S*H, Kiss Me Kate, and Ah, Wilderness! among other shows. Geri also played an important role in many of those SCP productions, volunteering her time to help backstage.
Jim was also a parrot enthusiast, at one point owning up to eight birds, several of them winning awards in bird shows. His final pets were two beloved shih tzus, Emmett and Emily. Jim was especially close to Emily, who slept with him every night until his passing.
Jim was a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and spent many happy times with family and friends at dinners and special events at the Palo Alto Elks Lodge. He and Geri also participated as models in the annual Elks Fashion Show, wowing audiences with the latest fashions.
After several years visiting Geri’s sister and brother-in-law in Yuma, Arizona, Jim and Geri relocated there, settling down in the retirement community of Yuma Venture, where they were part of an active social scene, participating in talent shows, potlucks dinners, and hosting family for holiday gatherings.
Jim was predeceased by his parents James Byron Nichols and Elizabeth Jean Smith, stepfathers Russ Mather and Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Samuel P. Smith, and a half-brother Ralph Nichols. He is survived by his wife Geri Nichols, his children James “Trey” Nichols III of Marina del Rey, CA, Chris Nichols of Dublin, PA, and Kristin Strait of Livermore, CA, a half-sister Lindy Swarthout, cousins Kathy Jones and Ed McLaughlin, as well as grandchildren, a nephew, a niece, and a great-grandson.
Condolence cards may be sent to: Geri Nichols 1026 Innsbruck St. Livermore CA, 94550
Tags: teacher/educator
