Lawrence (Larry) Douglas Nicholson
Late Summer of 1941Passed October 9, 2024 in Melbourne, Florida
Lawrence (Larry) Douglas Nicholson passed away peacefully at the age of 83 at an assisted living facility in Palm Bay, Florida on the afternoon of October 9, 2024. Later the same day, Hurricane Milton made its landfall on the western coast of central Florida.
Larry was born during the late summer of 1941 in Jacksonville, Florida where his father worked in the Army Corps of Engineers office on the project of building bridges across the Intracoastal Waterway. In 1950, the family arrived in Melbourne. During his formative years in south Brevard County, he kept busy with Boy Scout activities, the Lions Little League baseball team, and a paper route delivering Melbourne’s Daily Times. Larry enjoyed swimming at the beach and playing tennis.
He was the first of four Nicholson brothers to graduate from Melbourne High School on Babcock: Larry in 1959, Phil in 1962, Ken in 1969, and Dan in 1972. During three summers, he was employed as a student hire to support the Eastern Test Range on the Caribbean islands of Eleuthera, San Salvador, and Antigua.
After graduating from Florida State University, his first employer was Radiation, Inc. where he worked in its financial offices. He enlisted in the US Army and was sent to Korea for a tour. Subsequently, he worked for several companies on the east coast of Florida and noticed a young lady at the First Baptist Church of Melbourne who he later married. Shortly after graduating with an MBA from Stetson University, he moved to Fayetteville, North Carolina to further his career opportunities in the financial area. For his retirement years, Larry returned to south Brevard to enjoy its beaches again.
Larry is preceded in death by his parents Bob and Eula Nicholson and his brother Phil. He is survived by his wife of over 54 years, Nancy, and two brothers Ken (Albuquerque, New Mexico) and Dan (Tallahassee, Florida). He is also survived by a nephew and many great-nephews and great-nieces.
A memorial service is planned for October 24, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. at the Brownlie-Maxwell Funeral Home in Melbourne. Later that same day, he will be interred at the Cape Canaveral National Cemetery, 5525 US Highway 1, Mims, at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or a charitable organization of your choice.
