John Robert Nichols passed away at his home in New Canaan, CT, on Sunday, February 5, 2017, at the age of 54 after a two-year battle with stage IV gastric (stomach) cancer.
John is lovingly remembered by his wife, Susanna, and daughter, Anne; his parents, Robert and Carole Nichols of Greenwich, Connecticut, and Naples, Florida; sisters, Beth (Blair) Crump of Darien, Connecticut, and Nancy (Brad) Wright of Keller, Texas; father-in-law Keith (Janet) Polk of Durham, New Hampshire; mother-in-law Marie Polk of New Canaan; brother-in-law Eugene (Virginia) Polk of Pensacola, Florida; and nieces and nephews, Katherine and Emily Crump, Thomas and Jonathan Orr, and Max, Elena and Olivia Polk.
John was born in Evanston, Illinois, on March 26, 1962. He graduated from Brunswick School in Greenwich and earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Kalamazoo College, followed by an MBA degree in finance from the University of Michigan.
John’s career in finance began at NBD Bank in Detroit, followed by SPP Capital and BlackRock in New York and Fannie Mae in Washington, DC, where he served as EVP and the chief risk officer and was part of the team that turned that organization around. After his retirement in 2015, John served as a member of the board of directors of Genworth Financial until recurrence of his illness in July of 2016.
John was known especially for his sense of humor, love of literature, his kindness and generosity and knowledge of trivia. Most of all, John loved spending time with his family or hosting friends at home in New Canaan and Warren, Vermont.
A memorial service was held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, February 8, at the Congregational Church of New Canaan, followed by a reception at the Nichols’ home at 613 Silvermine Road in New Canaan.
In lieu of flowers, gifts in John’s memory may be made to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Center for Esophageal and Gastric Cancer. Please make checks payable to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and send to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Division of Development & the Jimmy Fund, Attn: Hillary D. Repucci, 10 Brookline Place West, Brookline, MA 02445-72, or online at www.myjimmyfundpage.org/give/cegc. For online condolences and directions please visit www.hoytfuneralhome.com.
