Ronald L. Nichols, 67, Dickinson, died 1:19 p.m., Sunday, July 19, 2015 at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Dickinson. Ron’s funeral service will be at 9:30 a.m., Friday, July 24, 2015 at Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson, with Rev. Glen Wessel officiating. Inurnment will follow at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. Military honors will be provided by the Dickinson Honors Team. Visitation will be on Friday from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., at Ladbury Funeral Service.
Ronald Lee “Ronnie” Nichols was born to Parker Ozro and Mary Ellen (Poole) Nichols on June 10, 1948, in Dickinson. The middle child of three, Ronnie grew up on his family’s property just inside the boundaries of what is now the Little Missouri Grasslands. As a child, he and his brother – Parker Allen – attended Six Mile School, a one-room schoolhouse located two miles from their home; the boys walked the distance to and from, beginning at a young age. Following this, Ronnie graduated from Killdeer High.
Ronnie entered the U.S. Army on September 9, 1969. After completing training in 1971, he served at the rank of Specialist-4 at Ft. Wainwright, Alaska as a paratrooper in the ranks of Company “C” Airborne, 6th Battalion, 9th Infantry (“Manchu”), followed by three assignments in Germany – two with the U.S. Army’s European division (USAREUR), and one posting at the U.S. Armed Forces Command (USAFORSCOM). Among his many accomplishments while enlisted, Ronnie was trained as a sharpshooter, for which he received awards, as well as numerous good conduct medals, and three Armed Service Medals. While in Germany, he was awarded for his participation in a joint exercise with West German military units in 1974. The years served in Germany left a profound impact on Ronnie; in the years leading up to his death, he espoused a regret that he did not have the wherewithal to return, following his honorable discharge from the Army in 1981.
For the next four years, Ronnie worked various jobs; from ranch hand to long-haul, Ronnie proved himself to be a capable, dependable worker. Ronnie was married briefly, but had no children from either spouse.
From 1985 to 1996, Ronnie was a member of the 164th Mechanized Engineering Regiment of the North Dakota National Guard. Ronnie completed his service as a Sergeant in June of ’96, and was generally well liked by those he served with.
Following his retirement, Ronnie worked for Olheiser Masonry in Dickinson, working on such projects as the Dakota Dinosaur Museum and the renovation of the Dickinson State Student Union. He continued to work with Olheiser until 2006. From there, Ronnie worked various other positions, including as a route carrier for the Dickinson Press/Advertiser, a janitor for Paragon Lanes, and a materiel driver for several construction companies. When his health began to fail as a result of COPD in 2013, Ronnie was attempting to put his security training from the Army to use, by applying to a Dickinson-based firm.
Ronnie was a private individual, and tended to live his life by his terms. An avid fan of cinema, his collection ranged from westerns to sci-fi, spy thrillers to military and historical epics. He was a huge fan of John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and Louis L’Amour. When he wasn’t home, people were likely to find him in one of the local cafes, drinking coffee, and chatting with old friends from his military days. Ronnie had a gallows’ humor; he often spoke of the world with a tone that belied his frustration with the way the world was going, but a country kid’s acceptance of things outside his control.
Ronnie was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic/liver cancer on July 3rd, 2015. Supported by his sister, Sue, he attempted to continue living from the home he had resided in since 1995; however, the nature of his condition made eating difficult for him, and within two weeks, events necessitated Ronnie being placed in the Emergency Room of St. Joseph’s in Dickinson.
He is survived by his sister, Sue Powers-Hartman; his brother, Parker Allen; his four nephews – Max, Duane, Fred, and Ray; a great-nephew, John Parker; and a great-niece, Kathryn.
