John William "Bill" Nix
1919-2013
Source: Find-A-Grave
The Life of Bill Nicks
John William Nicks was born December 11, 1919 in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee. He was the son of Thomas Asbury Nicks (1887-1956) and Mayme Dee Clark (1895-1969).
He attended public schools in Nashville, graduating from Hume Fogg High School in 1936. He worked five years with Washington Manufacturing Co. in Nashville, a company owned by entrepreneur and church leader, R.W. Comer. Bill resigning in 1941 to attend Freed-Hardeman College, where he studied three years. While there he met and married Geraldine May Petty (1924-2012) of Parkersburg, West Virginia. To this union three daughters were born, Rebecca Ruth (1945-2004), Betty Jean, and Mary Sue.
He attended Memphis State University 1944-1946.
He began preaching at Bethel, Tennessee in 1942. His located works were with the Berclair church in Memphis, Tenn., (1944-46) , Woodbury, Tenn., (1946-50), and Highland View in Oak Ridge, Tenn., (1950-55). Supported by the Procter Street church of Christ in Port Arthur, Texas, the family conducted mission work in Ibo-land, Nigeria, West Africa from 1955 to 1960. While there he helped to establish the Onicha Ngwa Bible Training College in Owerri Province. Later he returned to West Africa serving in Liberia for six years. While there he stayed closely connected with the work in Nigeria.
When they returned to the U.S. in 1960, the family moved to Abilene, Texas while he worked on his Master’s Degree in Bible at Abilene Christian College.
He taught for several schools during his preaching career. For three years the family was in Michigan where he taught at Michigan Christian College. The family also lived in Fort Worth, Texas where he taught at Brown Trail School of Preaching. Then in the 1980s while preaching full time at Claxton, Knoxville, Tennessee, he taught at Southeast Institute Of Biblical Studies (then East Tennessee School Of Preaching and Missions.) From 1980-1982 he served as Director.
The Nicks lived their final years in the Knoxville area. Gerry died October 30, 2012 at the age of 88. Within about three months, Bill followed in death January 22, 2013. He was in his 94th year.
-Scott Harp, 05.18.2022
Sources: Preachers of Today, Vol. 2, 1959, p. 318 and Preachers of Today, Vol. 1, 1952, 253; Ancestry.com;
A Letter To Gus Nichols
Words Of Truth
May 9, 1969, page 4
click/tap on article to read
Director ETSOP
Firm Foundation
July 22, 1980, p. 12[476]
Directions To Grave
The Nicks family are buried in the Oak Ridge Memorial Park in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The cemetery is located between Knoxville and Oak Ridge, just west of the Melton Hill Lake on Hwy 62. They are buried in the eastern end of the cemetery on the side of a hill. The photos below will assist. The GPS below is the actual location as well. They are buried in the section, Garden of Cedars, in 13A #s 3 and 4.
GPS Location
35°59'34.9"N 84°12'07.1"W
or D.d. 35.993038,-84.201975
Together Forever
John Wiiliam "Bill" Nicks - 12.11.1919 - 01.22.2013
Geraldine May "Gerry" - 08.07.1924 - 10.30.2012
Photos Taken 04.20.2021
Webpage Produced 05.17.2022
Courtesy Of Scott Harp
www.TheRestorationMovement.com
Special Recognition: Special thanks to Tom L. Childers for assisting in the location of the brave of brother Billy Nicks. We had been at the lectureship at the Southeast Institute Of Biblical Studies in Knoxville, Tennessee.