Released by Obert Funeral Home …
Mary Christina Nichols Wood went home to be with the Lord on May 3, 2020. At the time of her death mom was 93 and lived in the Hibiscus Court Assisted Living Facility in Melbourne, FL, where she had resided since suffering a stroke in 2012, and being moved there to be near family. Before that time, Chris as she was known by most of her friends was a longtime resident of Chipley, Florida.
Mom was born in Canal Point, FL. Sept. 13, 1926 to Jacob Gilford Weeks and Venera Gertrude Barnes Weeks, the middle child of nine. It was there that she was raised with her eight brothers and sisters (Juanita, Myrtice, Robert, James, Venera, Yvonne, Trevette, Elaine) and two cousins (Jacob, Richard), attending school in Canal Point and Pahokee. After high school she was a manicurist in Miami, and other places for many years.
In 1953, while attending a 4th of July party in Pahokee she met Airman Lester D. Nichols and they were married 6 days later in Folkston, GA. They had two sons, Vernice Edwin (Ed) Nichols and Elliott Blaine (Eli) Nichols. We lived in various locations while dad was in the service, always ending up back in Florida. After dad’s retirement we moved to Chipley for him to attend Baptist Bible Institute (now Baptist College of Florida). After moving to Chipley in 1964, mom worked at the City Rexall Drug store where most people knew her as Chris or more notoriously as Eli’s mom. She was a fixture in the community working at the drug store until dad’s illness and death in 1996. Mom remarried a few years later to Zeke Wood and was married 10 years until his death.
However, Mom was even more known for her never wavering faith and her involvement at Shiloh Baptist Church, with the Florida Baptist Children’s Home, and various mission causes and trips over the years. She worked in the kitchen at the church for many years and also taught a children’s Sunday school class. Her church community was the focus of her life while in Chipley and her faith was always a part of her up until her death. A man who lived in her assisted living facility saw her door open the other day while I was there and came in to say hello, and when I told him she had died, he told me he was so sorry and that she was a “Great Friend and a Great Christian”.
Mom’s other great passion was for her family and her friends. Her brothers and sisters never missed an opportunity to be together. There were always reunions, Christmas parties, and birthday parties where they could be together. Mom went thru the few years telling everyone she met about her grandkids and great-grandkids and always had a stack of pictures to show anyone who would look. She told everyone about their school accomplishments, jobs and adventures, this was her greatest joy.
Mom was known by many names, according to who was talking to her. Her friends knew her as Chris. To her brothers and sisters she was Christina or Tina. To her many nieces and nephews she was Aunt Tina. To Eli’s kids she was MeMaw, and to Ed’s kids and Issac she was grandma. The great-grand kids called her Grandma Chris. To the many doctors who she saw the last few years, she was Mary or Ms. Wood. And to her dear friends and caretakers at Hibiscus she was Chris or Miss Chris. Regardless of what they called her, she was dearly loved and will be missed.
Mom was preceded in death by her parents, most of her brothers and sisters, and cousins. She was also preceded in death by my dad Lester, my brother Eli, Mr. Zeke and great grand-son Clayton. She is survived by sisters Yvonne and Elaine, and numerous nieces and nephews and their children. She is also survived by myself and my wife Sarah, Eli’s wife Laura Nichols. Grand-kids: Issac Williams (Chrystal), Shannon Hicks (Fred), Amy Arthur (Wade), Evan Nichols, Madison Nichols, Molly Nichols, Makaila Nichols, Montana Nichols. Great Grand-kids: (Rosalie, Keagan, and Judith Hicks; Micah, Josiah, Titus, and Lydia Arthur; Dillon, Piper, and Jacob Williams). Great-great grand-kids: Willow Williams. And I know her friends and staff at Hibiscus Court held a special place in her heart.
Mom we love you and will miss you in our daily lives. Go join that great Week’s reunion on the other side.
Love,
Eddie Nichols
Flowers are welcome, but I know she would prefer remembrances’ be made to the Florida Baptist Children’s Home, Baptist College of Florida, or the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Interment will be at Shiloh Baptist Church. Obert Funeral Home of Chipley, Florida presiding.