Roy Garland Nichols

Roy Garland Nichols, 78, of Van Buren, Arkansas passed from this life into the Kingdom of God on Tuesday, May 12, 2015 in Fort Smith, Arkansas. He retired as a long-haul truck driver for Time D.C. Freight Lines and Crain Industries. He was a member of First Assembly of God Church in Van Buren, and also attended Concord Baptist Church ; he was a member of Teamsters Local No. 373 in Fort Smith; the Arkansas Federation for the Blind, and AARP. He was born November 22, 1936 in Ozark, Arkansas, to Roy and Lois Ann Middlebrook Nichols and attended Ozark Public School and was a graduate of the Class of 1954. He was a loving husband, father and PaPaw. He enjoyed gardening; visiting with friends, and loved all things involving his family. Roy was preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Lois Ann Nichols of Ozark and a great granddaughter, Madelyn Grace Johnston of Conway, Arkansas. He is survived by the love of his life, his wife Mary Ann Burns Nichols of the home, whom he was married to for sixty years since the date of their marriage on August 12, 1954; a daughter, Lynn Sevenstar and husband Martin, and a son Roy David Nichols and wife Janie, all of Van Buren; two sisters, Frances Vernon and husband Aldon and Earline Mayner and husband Herman of Ozark; a sister-in-law Caryleen Gambrel of Mountain Home, Arkansas; a brother-in-law Robert “Bud” Burns and his wife Joe Ann of Altus, Arkansas; a grandson, Paul David Nichols; a granddaughter, Rachel Johnston and her husband T.J., both of Conway; two great grandsons, Sawyer Johnston and Hank David Johnston of Conway; several nieces and nephews; and a host of friends. Funeral service will be at 1:00 PM Friday, May 15, 2015 at Shaffer Funeral Home Chapel in Ozark with Reverend Dale Walker officiating, and burial at Highland Cemetery, under direction of Shaffer Funeral Home of Ozark. Serving as pallbearers are members of Van Buren Fire Department, Lance Ellison, Gerald Stewart, Travers Meinardus, Sean Richardson, Aaron Gallaher and Scott Wallace; honorary pallbearers are Nephews, Dale Vernon, Zack Vernon, Greg Vernon, Jamie Vernon, Daniel Vredenburg, Austin Vredenburg, William Aaron Mayner, and Noah Mayner.

Roy Garland Nichols

November 22, 1936 - May 12, 2015