VALE: Thomas James Nichols
24.10.1947 – 19.12.2022
Thomas James Nichols (Tom) was born in Brisbane on October 24, 1947 to Alice and Fredrick Nichols, the eldest of three children. He shared his early life with his sister Ruth and his brother Bernie.
Due to family circumstances, Tom, Ruth and Bernie became Wards of the State when they were very young.
Tom and Ruth remained together at Wooloowin in a special needs home that was run by the State to support disadvantaged children, while Bernie was placed at Margaret Mar home for boys in Wynnum.
Each year there was a picnic organised by the Apex Club, where the children were reunited for the day. Tom recalled it as an enjoyable time for the siblings.
For the lucky few, willing families opened their homes to foster children, and Tom was one of the lucky ones who was fostered by a wonderful woman known as Mrs Adams who lived in Boonah. It was there that Tom mastered his mowing skills.
Tom was a quiet achiever and was liked by everyone.
He was also known to be a genuine and reliable man by all of the families in the Boonah and surrounding areas which resulted in his job as a mower man never running short.
During Tom’s mowing career, one of his clients offered him full time work taking care of synthetic grass tennis courts.
Tom accepted this role which resulted in him leaving the safe sanctuary of Mrs Adams’ home.
During this time Tom travelled to many places and countries such as the Pacific Islands, Papua New Guinea, Tahiti and the New Hebrides. He also worked all over Southern Queensland and in Northern New South Wales.
After experiencing many things in this role, Tom’s happiness was no longer fulfilled and as a result he left his job and moved into a boarding house at Tarampa.
Destiny then played a part in the next chapter of Tom’s life, when his sister Ruth tracked him down. They reconnected and decided to settle into a flat together in Rosewood.
Tom started his mowing business again which kept him busy and he then expanded his business into collecting bottles and cans.
Aside from work, Tom enjoyed bar room competitions, eight ball and darts, which were introduced to him through Ruth’s social circle.
Tom won many trophies and was great at his game.
As the years went on, the real estate and the rear flat where Tom and Ruth lived was sold to make way for the expansion of the Rosewood Drakes Supermarket.
As a result of this, Ruth and Tom relocated to a house near the Rosewood Railway Station, until Ruth’s health declined and they decided to move into the Cabanda Aged Care facility.
Sadly, Ruth passed away leaving Tom to continue living at Cabanda in a smaller independent living unit. He was self-sufficient and continued his mowing business.
As motivation to keep going, a good friend of Toms invited him to assist with the care of his exotic birds, in Ipswich. It was something Tom really enjoyed. His friend also introduced him to the wonders of a mobility scooter.
Tom continued to mow well into his 70s and over the years he would have worn out 20 plus mowers, whipper snippers and just as many push bikes because Tom could never hold a drivers licence.
Tom’s determination to mow was described as a desire to be doing things, not really knowing that there were times where he could say no.
Tom did not really ever show a lot of emotion, even more so as he got older, and when he fell sick, there were many families who stood up to care for and to support Tom, he was always so grateful and thankful to these people.
