Obituary for Aurele Nicholas – CA

AURELE J. (NICK) NICHO LAS, 73, of River Avenue, passed away at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. He was born June 2, 1932, in Lac Frontiere, Canada, to Gerard and Jean (D'Ark) Nicholas. He was very proud of his Maliseet Indian heritage. Nick worked as a millwright for Northrop Aircraft and Blue Chip Manufacturing before retiring as a foreman at Hughes Aircraft in 1993. He grew up in Maine and moved to California where he married his wife, Delores (Dee) Costello. They resided in Hawthorne, California, where they raised 72 foster children. After his retirement, they moved back to Gardiner, Maine in May 1994. But he could not stay retired, and in July 1994 he sought employment with Uplift, Inc. in Gardiner. Nick enjoyed working there. They called him “St. Nick.” He was a member of the Southbay Sportsman Club in Redondo Beach, CA, Monmouth Fish and Game, Gardiner Sportsman Club, and the Augusta Elks Club. He loved: teaching his hunter safety course, fishing, hunting, the outdoors, Saturday night dancing, playing pranks, teasing the girls at work, bingo, telling stories about his grandchildren and his favorite teams, the San Francisco 49ers and Anaheim Angels. He always made people feel welcome. His brother Riggie Nicholas predeceased him. He is survived by his wife, Dee Nicholas of Gardiner; his children: Gerard “Cap” Louis and his wife Vanessa Nicholas of Sylmar, CA, Nikki Jo V. and her husband Louie Salceda of Bakersfield, CA, John Scott and his wife Rose Nicholas of Washington State; his sisters: Laura and her husband Albert Villeneuve of Foleyet, Ontario, Carmen Keith of Grants Pass, OR; Brothers: Raymond and wife Sue Nicholas of Arthur, Ontario; John and wife Ida Nicholas of Timmins, Ontario; grandchildren: Michele, Dustin, Lewis, Debbie, Deborah, Anna, Tina and Alicia; eight great-grandchildren and 28 nephews and nieces. Funeral services will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at Staples Funeral Home, 53 Brunswick Ave., Gardiner.