Captain Sterling Nichols, Jr.

March 17, 1942 - May 19, 2024

U.S. Veteran

It was Sterling’s wish to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery to lay to rest with his fellow soldiers. The funeral service will be held on October 25, 2024, at 11:00 AM starting at the Old Post Chapel followed by a procession to the gravesite and burial with full military honors. Visitors are encouraged to arrive at Fort Myer’s Hatfield gate by 10:00 AM as there is limited capacity for the Old Post Chapel service. There is no limit to the number of attendees for the graveside service in the cemetery itself and all are welcome.

Captain Sterling Nichols, Jr. passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Quincy, Massachusetts, surrounded by his family. Raised in Chicago, Illinois, he enlisted in the Air Force before receiving his undergraduate degree from the University of New Mexico. Following college, Sterling relocated to Washington, D.C. and enjoyed a highly decorated career in the Navy, retiring after 21 years with the rank of Captain. In addition to a successful career in the Armed Forces, Sterling also held various managerial positions for the federal government for both the Department of Education and Department of Energy.

Having traveled to all of the seven continents in his lifetime, Sterling lived his years to the fullest and was a constant student, considering every experience a learning experience. He proved such after being called to active duty during the Gulf War, when he returned to school to obtain his Doctorate Degree in Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In addition to his own learning, Sterling was a teacher of others, serving as a professor at the United States Naval Academy as well as an educator in an outreach program serving the indigenous communities of New Mexico.

Sterling was a lover of books, Motown, lobster rolls, the ocean, fresh lines in a mowed yard and basketball. He was famous for his yearly deep-fried turkeys at Thanksgiving using a formula he slowly perfected over the years. His smile would light up the dimmest of rooms and his laugh would fill the largest of spaces. He was friendly with anyone he encountered and a friend to anyone who needed one. He is survived by his loving wife of 38 years, Nancy, his daughter Emily, son-in-law Marc, and sons; Sterling Nichols III, Joshua Anderson, and Jonathan Anderson. He was predeceased by his brother Lester (Buddy) Fleming, and leaves behind his sisters, Gladys Freeman and Rosemary Jordan. In addition, Sterling leaves behind many cousins, nieces, and nephews, and countless friends.