John Allison Nicholas

John Allison Nicholas was born January 5, 1950 in Dragerton, Utah. He was raised around Boise, Idaho before moving to Henderson, Nevada around 1960. His parents were John Robert Nicholas and Barbara Baer Nicholas. John graduated from Basic High School in Henderson, NV, with the class of 1968. He came to Kansas as a student at Kansas State University. He met the love of his life, Glenda Greenfield Nicholas and remained in Kansas. They would have been married 54 years in February. She survives.

The first 10 years of marriage they lived close to Concordia, KS in Aurora, where he was mayor for several years, and worked in Sales. He went to Cloud County College to get his Nursing Home Administrator License. They were members of St. Pauls Episcopal Church in Clay Center, before moving to the Wichita area in 1981.

John was a nursing home administrator for 30 years, the last at Westview Manor of Derby from 1983-2009. In 2010 he opened The Energy Guy, a company that did energy audits for homes and businesses.

In addition to being a member of the Derby Rotary Club and Derby Chamber of Commerce, he was on the Vestry and was Senior Warden of St. Andrews Episcopal Church. He wore several hats there as being a “go to” guy. On the first Sunday of the pandemic, he put the church service on Facebook live on his ipad. Eventually the church bought an audio/visual system which he continued to make sure someone was running for every service. He also loved helping with the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper. He was a member, mentor, and Past-President of the South Kansas Woodturners Club, spending many hours turning a piece of wood into a bowl. In 2020, he fulfilled a childhood dream of becoming a Ham Radio Operator and learning Morse Code.

Irises always intrigued him. He became a member of the Wichita Area Iris Club. He was also President of the Air Capital Day Lilies Club. He loved working in the lawn and getting his flowers ready in the spring. He was President of the Citizens Advisory Board for the 5th District County Commissioner. He was a member of the Community Emergency Response Team – CCERT). If there was something to be done for a group or someone, he’d find a way to get it done.

John was very supportive of his daughter, Mary. If her class needed a trip sponsor he was there. When the Brownie Scouts needed a camp counselor, he did it. When she was a competitive swimmer with the Derby Dolphins from age 8-16, he started timing. Then he moved up to starting the meets, local, district, and regionals.

In addition to his wife Glenda, he is survived by his daughter Mary (Jeremy) Walls, sister Virginia Nicholas (Paul) Michalak of Arlington, VA, brother Stephen Nicholas of Carson City, NV, nieces Sophia Nicholas, Diana Vasquez, Darlene Quint, nephews Aaron Michalak, Adam Michalak, grandson DaleRon Walls, honorary grandson Ewan Rucker, communion buddy Evie Rucker, and many cousins and friends.

He fought a valiant fight with a rare aggressive cancer, first found in the summer of 2023. He passed on January 19, 2025 at the age of 75.

A visitation will be held 5-7pm Thursday, January 23, at Smith Mortuary in Derby. Memorial services will be 11am Saturday, February 1, at St. Andrews Episcopal Church. Memorial contributions may be made to the church.