In this season of giving, it seems appropriate to feature a couple who have given themselves quietly, but graciously and generously, to help make life pleasant for their UVTO neighbors.
Both Bill and Wini Nichols were born in Whittier, California, where they grew up in families which had been long-time friends at their church. Bill’s WW II Air Corps service in radio repair took him from Atlantic City to Fresno and Delano on the west coast, through the Panama Canal to Melbourne, from Bombay to Calcutta and over the hump to China, through the Suez Canal to New York, and home to discharge in California – November 16, 1942 to November 13, 1945!
Re-introduced by a matchmaker cousin, Bill and Wini were married in 1946 and headed for the campus of what is now UC Davis. When the veterinary medicine program Bill aspired to received 500 applicants for 50 openings, he turned to Vocational Agriculture Education and taught for some ten years, including industrial arts. His own business, Nichols Cabinetry, led to his interest in the UVTO hobby shop, where he enthusiastically supports other users.
With two sons in school, Wini became a school secretary in Santa Monica. Later, as an administrator in academic counseling at UCLA, Wini had her own classroom and staff and developed a more personal approach to helping meet students’ academic challenges. In 1977, the family moved to a small ranch on Santa Rosa Road, zealously remodeled it and tended 112 tangerine trees. In 2003 they signed up for UVTO, and moved in on August 22, 2007.
Like the gifts of the Magi, good things come in threes. With the Nichols’ leadership, three areas of community life have flourished. Friends, including Dave Allen and Sybil Morris, encouraged Wini to start a Bible study. The resulting group, led by pastors from Emmanuel Presbyterian Church, now has about 45 residents at its weekly meetings, with Wini developing and providing scriptural study guides. Involved with the Country Store from the beginning, Bill shops for fresh supplies and restocks the shelves almost daily, while Wini helps recruit and schedule volunteers. Wini and Bill also host Wednesday night Rummy Tile in the Laguna Room; as many as six foursomes play, and everyone is invited to come and join in.
Obviously, life is full and rewarding for this “giving” couple. Thank you, Bill and Wini Nichols, for the joyful gifts you contribute as Noteworthy Neighbors.