1917
Thomas
2015
Thomas Nicholl
February 28, 1917 — April 25, 2015
Thomas Hill Nicholl, 98, passed away peacefully at home Aprill 25, 2015 during the morning hours in Leawood, Kansas. He was born in Anderson, Indiana on February 28, 1917 and was the oldest of 4 children. He has only one surviving brother, Hugh Nicholl.
Tom left home after high school to travel around the U.S. After returning to Cleveland, Ohio, he attended Case Western Reserve University to graduate with a Mechanical Engineering Degree. After graduation, Tom went to Mexico City University to teach classes such as Astronomy and Engineering. He joined the Navy and served upon an aircraft carrier in the Atlantic as an Ensign Junior Grade. In December of 1949, Tom married Grace Williams in Carmel, California. They moved to Oakland, Ca where Tom worked for Lincoln Electric, which eventually brought them to Kansas City.
After a few years, Tom started Nicholl Bros Inc., which became a very successful manufacturing company of the Dark Chaser Lanterm and other similar products. He was the ultimate philosopher with a brilliant mind, an electrical engineer who patented close to 100 ideas because creativity came quite naturally to him. Tom was a successful small business owner that incorporated many of those patents, a man who bought a TV Health Kit and actually put the millions of pieces together which worked for years, and a man with a strong work ethic who worked long hours to support his family.
In March of 2009, Tom lost his beloved wife, Grace, of 60 years, who he is finally able to be with again. He is survived by five children; Margaret (Bill) Rutledge, Jack (Carol) Nicholl, Lynn Alberts, Chris (Barry) Karlberg, Kate (Tom) Waddle; 12 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.
Memorial Services will be held May 16, 2015 at Brookdale Leawood, 440 W. 115th St. Leawood, KS, from 10AM-12PM. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Brookdale Hospice.
Tom left home after high school to travel around the U.S. After returning to Cleveland, Ohio, he attended Case Western Reserve University to graduate with a Mechanical Engineering Degree. After graduation, Tom went to Mexico City University to teach classes such as Astronomy and Engineering. He joined the Navy and served upon an aircraft carrier in the Atlantic as an Ensign Junior Grade. In December of 1949, Tom married Grace Williams in Carmel, California. They moved to Oakland, Ca where Tom worked for Lincoln Electric, which eventually brought them to Kansas City.
After a few years, Tom started Nicholl Bros Inc., which became a very successful manufacturing company of the Dark Chaser Lanterm and other similar products. He was the ultimate philosopher with a brilliant mind, an electrical engineer who patented close to 100 ideas because creativity came quite naturally to him. Tom was a successful small business owner that incorporated many of those patents, a man who bought a TV Health Kit and actually put the millions of pieces together which worked for years, and a man with a strong work ethic who worked long hours to support his family.
In March of 2009, Tom lost his beloved wife, Grace, of 60 years, who he is finally able to be with again. He is survived by five children; Margaret (Bill) Rutledge, Jack (Carol) Nicholl, Lynn Alberts, Chris (Barry) Karlberg, Kate (Tom) Waddle; 12 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.
Memorial Services will be held May 16, 2015 at Brookdale Leawood, 440 W. 115th St. Leawood, KS, from 10AM-12PM. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Brookdale Hospice.
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