Gerald W. Nicolls

Gerald W. Nicolls, 61, of Meadville, manager of Col. Crawford Park, died Tuesday, March 4, 1980, at City Hospital following an illness of several months.

He was born in Spring Township, April 2, 1918, son of Clare and Ethel Lininger Nicolls.  He married Mary J. Loucks on August 30, 1941.

He was a 1935 graduate of Conneautville High School and a 1936 graduate of Meadville Commercial College.  He was owner-operator of Crawford County Implement Co. from 1947-61 and manager of Bethesda Home Farm from 1961-70.  He worked at W. L. Dunn Farm Equipment Sales from 1970-74 and was manager of Col. Crawford Park from 1974 until his death.  He was a 1977 graduate of Knotts School of Auctioneering, and he and his son did auctioneering work in this county.

He was a member of Meadville First Presbyterian Church, Zem Zem Shrine Temple in Erie, Crawford Masonic Lodge 234, Crawford County Shrine Club, Scottish Rite Bodies of New Castle, Kismet Grotto, Spring Grange 263, BPO Elks Lodge 219 and West Mead 2 VFD.  He was a longtime member of Crawford County Fair Board, past president of the state Farm Equipment Assn. and a member of PA, national and NW chapters of the Auctioneers Assn.

He is survived by his wife; a son, Bruce of Guys Mills; four brothers, Thomas and Keith, both of Springboro, Earl of Conneautville and Ward of Placerville, CA; and four grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Linda Huber on December 31, 1979.

Services were held at Waid Funeral Home.

Interment was in Roselawn Memorial Gardens.