William Nicola, 89, Owned Joseph Nicola & Son Grocery
William "Bill" Nicola, age 89, of Lorain, died Sunday April 18, 2004 at the Hospice of Saint Joseph Residential Center following a brief illness.
Mr. Nicola was born December 2, 1914 in Finleyville, Pennsylvania and had been a resident of Lorain for more than eighty-five years.
He attended the Lorain Public Schools and was a graduate of Lorain High School as a member of the Class of 1933-B. He went on to attend The Ohio State University where he followed the pre-law curriculum. He joined his father in the operation of Joseph Nicola & Son Grocery, which was a Lorain landmark located at East 29th Street and Seneca Avenue. He ultimately became proprietor of that establishment until its closing in 1954. Mr. Nicola then obtained his Ohio Realtors and Brokers licenses and founded Nicola Real Estate. At the time of his retirement he was a self-employed, private bookkeeper.
He served as a mentor to many aspiring young business people throughout the area and was a member and past president of the South Lorain Businessman’s Association. He was well known for proclaiming Lorain as being the “Garden Spot of America" to all that he encountered.
A parishioner of Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, he was also a member of the Lorain Power Squadron, the Lorain Camera Club, and the Family Motor Coach Association. He and his Late wife enjoyed extensive world travel and reached many exotic destinations including Egypt.
Bill is survived by daughters: Caroline Butchko of Lorain, Carmella “Cookie” Cotterill of Amherst, and Linda Ebinger of Avon Lake; eight grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; a sister: Frances Nichols of Buffalo, New York; step-brothers: James and Joseph Cocina both of Buffalo, and a step-sister: Lena Morano residing in Naples, Florida
Mr. Nicola was preceded in death by his wife: Londa (nee Balena) Nicola in 2000; by a son: Joseph in 1950; by his parents: Joseph and Cannella (nee Zita) Nicola; by a sister: Margaret Papich; and a stepbrother: Frank Cocina.
Visitation will be Tuesday from 3-5 and 7-9 p.m. in the Gluvna-Shimo-Hromada Funeral Chapel - 3224 Broadway - Lorain. Funeral services will be Wednesday beginning at 9:00 a.m. in the funeral chapel and will be followed by a funeral mass at 9:30 a.m. in Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church - 1305 East Erie Avenue - Lorain. The Reverend Charles Henkle, O.F.M. Conv., associate pastor of the parish will officiate. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery Lorain.
The family encourages you to consider memorials in Mr. Nicola's name to either the Kidney Foundation of Lorain – P.O. Box 1381 - Elyria, OH 44036 or to New Life Hospice - 5255 North Abbe Road - Elyria, OH 44035.