Gloria Jean Nichols

Gloria Jean Smallridge Nichols 84 of Forest City, NC formerly of Milford, MA and Huntington, WV went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, May 23, 2019 at Hospice of the Carolina Foothills. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. at Beard Mortuary with Pastor Fred Ramey officiating. Entombment will follow in Ridgelawn Memorial Park. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. She was born July 16, 1934 in Hurricane, WV the daughter of the late Homer and Ermal Wilkinson Smallridge. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband Homer Nichols, son, George Michael Nichols, sisters, Virginia Ruth Marcum and Lucille Griffin and two brothers, Homer Jennings, Forest Ray and Howard Clay and beloved dog, Rusty. She worked many years in the glass container industry in several states as an inspector, retiring from the former Foster Forbes Glass Company in Milford, MA; then moving back home to Huntington to be with family and friends. Gloria moved to North Carolina in 2018 to be with her son and family. She enjoyed socializing, reading, watching QVC, the Western Channel and sitting on the porch. She was a former member of Altizer Freewill Baptist Church. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Timothy and Maureen Nichols of Forest City, NC; granddaughter, Shannon and husband, Luis, great-granddaughter, Mikayla; and grandson, Brent all of Florida; nieces, Carolyn (Earl) Legg, Francie Dillon and Vicki (Jack) Pullen, and nephew, Jamie Smallridge and great-great nephew, Eric Ashworth all of Huntington; sister-in-law, Catherine Smallridge and several extended nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank Hospice House of Rutherford County, Oakland Living Center and Carolina Home Care for all the love and care she received. Those who wish may make memorial contributions to Altizer Freewill Baptist Church or Hospice of Rutherford County, 374 Hudlow Rd, Forest City, NC 28043. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.beardmortuary.com.