Ralph Stuart Nichols, age 83, and a resident of Newton, passed away Sunday, October 13, 2024 at St. Dominic's Hospital in Jackson.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, October 17, 2024 from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm at Newton County Funeral Home - South in 100 Old Highway 15 Loop, Newton.

Funeral services will immediately follow the visitation in the funeral home chapel with Bro. Justin Chaney officiating.

Visitation will also be held on Sunday, October 20, 2024 beginning at 10:00 am at C.Z. Boyer & Son Funeral Home in Desloge, MO.

Funeral services will begin at 2:00 pm at the funeral home followed by burial at Bonne Terre Cemetery with Pastor Sloane Tiernan officiating.

Mr. Nichols was born Wednesday, June 18, 1941 in Cadet, Missouri, attended grammar school and graduated high school from Potosi, MO. He served his country in the United States Air Force, retiring with twenty years of service. He also worked for the Missouri Department of Corrections. He had been a resident of this area for the last twenty years. He was a Baptist by faith, and enjoyed travelling, motor homing, NASCAR, hunting and gun collecting. He will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved him.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Mary Lou Nichols; his parents, Charles and Juanita McMahan Nichols and two brothers, Dale Nichols and Kenny Nichols.

Survivors include his wife of twenty years, Mrs. Mary Shepherd Nichols  of Newton;  sons, David Nichols (Jenny) and William "Bill'  Nichols (Jamie) both of Bonne Terre, MO;  step-daughters, Felicia Pace (John) and  Sandra Walsh, both of Newton;  two grandchildren, Adam Nichols (Kayla) and Amy Nichols; three step grandchildren, Ryan Walsh (Kim), Matthew Walsh and Emily Andrews (Toby);  ten  great-grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren. one sister, Sue Wells of Missouri; several nieces and nephews also survive; his canine companion, Tut.

Newton County Funeral Home and C.Z. Boyer & Son Funeral Home served the Nichols family.

An online guestbook may be signed at www.newtoncountyfuneralhome.com