David Edward Nichols, 61, of 81 West Mountain Road, died June 19th of a heart attack. A 21-year resident of Ridgefield, Nichols was an active member of the Democratic Town Committee and served the town as a member of the Charter Revision and Wetlands Committees and the Annual Town Meeting Committee, among others. Dave had also served as a board member of A Better Chance.
The son of Lee and Eleanor Nichols, David was born in New York City on October 17th, 1942 and grew up in Rockville, Maryland. From 1961 to 1965 he served in the United States Air Force as an intelligence analyst, stationed in England. In 1963 he married Jacqueline Bruce, to whom he was married for 40 years. Upon leaving the Air Force he completed his bachelor's degree in government at Harvard University, working nights for the Post Office to support his family. In 1968 he began what would become a distinguished career for IBM, first as a salesman, then as a manager and executive. In his 36 years with the company Nichols and his family moved from Massachusetts to New York, Virginia, New Mexico, and Maryland, before settling in Ridgefield in 1983. Nichols continued to travel for IBM in the 1990s, attending business functions in India, Russia, and Brazil.
Dave Nichols was a lifelong Democrat, who began his service to the party as a volunteer for John F. Kennedy's presidential campaign. 
In Ridgefield he was a 20-year member of the Democratic Town Committee, serving as its Secretary and Vice Chair. One of Dave's proudest accomplishments was his development and stewardship of the DTC website, launched in August of 1997, which quickly became the envy (and the model) of political organizations throughout the state. Dave was a regular at party caucuses, represented the town at state party conventions, worked as a photographer at political functions, and was widely acknowledged as one of his party's "wise men." 
Ridgefielders also remember Dave Nichols for his devotion to running, biking, and swimming. He ran over two dozen marathons, including the Washington Marine Corps Marathon and Boston Marathon, and completed several triathlons in the 1980s. Hip replacement surgery slowed him somewhat, but he remained physically active to the very end of his life, which came as he was bicycling on Saturday.
Nichols is survived by his father Lee, his brother Michael, his daughter Corinna, and his sons David Andrew (RHS '88) and Patrick ('89).
A memorial service for Dave Nichols will be held on Saturday, June 26th at 11AM at the First Congregational Church of Ridgefield on Main Street. A reception in Lund Hall will follow the service. All are welcome.
In recognition of his military service, Dave Nichols will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetary. The family greatly appreciates all of the expressions of sympathy they have received and the respect and affection for their father that so many people have shown.
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