Wayne Walker Nichols, age 76, of Brownwood passed away Thursday, January 20, 2022, at home.
Graveside Services for Wayne will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, February 19, 2022, at the Winchell Cemetery with Bill Slaymaker officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Blaylock Funeral Home of Brownwood.
Wayne Walker Nichols was born on December 23, 1945, to Vernon and Inez (Deaver) Nichols in Ranger, Texas; the youngest of six kids. He lived in Brownwood most of his life. The year he was born, he was his siblings’ Christmas present which the family always joked about. When he was young, he liked school, but he loved playing more. He would often run home from school during recess because he had better things to do than learn, which for him meant playing Cowboys and Indians outside. Eventually he found sports; he loved playing football. Football was his life, and he was very good at it. He found his stride on the football team. He played for the most winning coach in Texas history, Gordon Wood, at Brownwood High School. He even got a football scholarship to play at Howard Payne University. Wayne would talk about his football days with such pride and always said every injury was worth the wonderful memories he had from playing football.
While attending college Wayne was drafted into the Army in 1969. He served a few years in the military during the Vietnam war and was honorably discharged.
Wayne returned home to Brownwood to live near his family. It was there he met his late wife, Lynn Riley, whose family had just moved to Brownwood. They got married, had two children, moved to Crowley and spent 18 wonderful years together. Wayne was the provider for the family. He was a hard worker and worked tough construction jobs. He could often run machines that other people did not know how to run. He carried his love for football into watching games on tv and reliving his games through the stories he told. He liked working on his cars, practicing martial arts, and hanging out with friends. You could not hang out with Wayne without laughing. He knew how to have a good time.
He retired and went on to be a caregiver for his family and friends who were ill. He moved back to his hometown of Brownwood to be closer to family and friends. He would often take his siblings and friends to their doctor appointments. He was reliable and a comfort to have around.
Wayne loved the simple things in life: his dog Sally, looking at birds outside his window, watching the seasons change, sitting on the porch talking and drinking a beer, but above all he loved his daughters Jamie and Morgan. Wayne will be sorely missed but never forgotten.
He is survived by his two daughters, Jamie Nichols, Morgan Nichols and her husband Salvador Luera Jr; his grandson, Hayden Nichols; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Vernon and Inez Nichols; his brothers, Roland Nichols and Louis Nichols; his sisters, Eva Jean Perkins, Betty Wiginton and Janice Pearce.
Online condolences for the family are welcome at www.blaylockfuneralhome.com.