To request a copy of this photo for your own personal use, please contact our state coordinator. If you are not a family member or the original photographer — please refrain from copying or distributing this photo to other websites.
Thank you for visiting the Arkansas Gravestone Photo Project. On this site you can upload gravestone photos, locate ancestors and perform genealogy research. If you have a relative buried in Arkansas, we encourage you to upload a digital image using our Submit a Photo page. Contributing to this genealogy archive helps family historians and genealogy researchers locate their relatives and complete their family tree.
Submitted: 11/19/12 • Approved: 11/19/12 • Last Updated: 11/22/12 • R784862-G0-S3
January 21, 1938 - August 6, 2005
*Obituary
Southwest Times Record
Edward Orlin "Eddie" Nichols, 67, of Van Buren died Saturday, Aug. 6, 2005, at his home in the Dora community.
Eddie was a graduate of the 1956 class of Van Buren High School. He was an associate with Ron Calhoun Real Estate. He was a noted musician, associated locally with Larry Bedell and TCR, Don Gregory and the Gregory Brothers, a charter member of The Mr. Cabbage Head Band, and America's 2005 Idol Carrie Underwood's band, Star Rise.
His musical career began more than five decades ago. After graduation from VBHS, he began playing with Bobby Donn and the Premiers. He began his professional career in 1966 playing with a Florida-based band known as the What Knots. Later, he went on the road with Tommy Dennis and the Brotherhood. While playing with this band, he began playing with Johnny Lee, famed for "Looking for Love," "Hey Bartender" and "Yellow Rose of Texas." A short time later, Eddie and Johnny went to Houston to play with Mickey Gilley.
By 1980 he had played for such great musicians as Charlie Rich and Wayne Cochran & the C.C. Riders, which culminated a total of 16 years on the road. While playing with the Atlanta Horns he did some studio work, which later showed up on recordings of Percy Sledge, Aretha Franklin and James and Bobby Purify, "Let Me Wrap You in My Warm and Tender Love" (Percy Sledge), "Natural Woman" (Aretha Franklin), and "I'm Your Puppet" (James and Bobby).
In 1980 he came back to his home state to further other career ambitions: drafting, construction management and finally the real estate business with Ron Calhoun and Associates.
He is survived by his wife, Martha Anne Holt Nichols; a daughter, Laura Dee Ann Owen Martindale and her husband David; a son, Kenneth Eugene Poague and his wife Nancy; two grandchildren, Rachel Renee Poague and Christopher Lee Poague of Van Buren; two sisters, Donna Nichols Stacy and her husband Paul, and Lola Ruth Nichols King and her husband Stephen; one nephew, Michael Lee Hurst of Ozark; nieces, Melissa Dawn Muldoon, Deborah Meschelle Crumpacker, Misty Lynn Milsap and Leslie Susan Acord; and 10 grandnieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Clark and Donna Nadine Johnson Nichols; maternal grandparents, Otto Johnson and Lola Hutchins Morton; paternal grandparents, King David "Daddy Dave" Nichols and Etta Ruth Hunt Nichols of Ozark.
He is a member of the Rudy Baptist Church with Kenneth E. Poague as his pastor. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Rudy Baptist Church Building Fund, 224 E. Bell Street, Rudy, AR 72952.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2005, at Ocker Funeral Home Chapel at 2 p.m. with burial at Dora Cemetery in Dora.
Pallbearers were Clyde Lee Hammock, Steve Clark, Larry Bedell, Rick Young, Art Lynch and Bill Wiley.
Honorary pallbearers were real estate associates with Ron Calhoun and Associates, Harold Wilson, Gayland Stokes, Jack Baker, fellow musicians and entertainers Don Martin, Harley Vinsant, Alfie Barter, Joe Sanford, Bob Williamson, Carrie Underwood, Lou Vann and Kenny Kershner, Roger Gregory, Bubba Carter, Steve Myers, Roy Rogers, Jack Peters and WAEDA staff.
Contributed on 11/19/12 by tootied
Email This Contributor
Suggest a Correction
Record #: 784862