Mary Ann Nichol, wife of Robert W. Nichol, has donated the proceeds from the
Nichol Family Trust to the Education Foundation. The interest from the
grant will guarantee that graduating students will always have Bob Nichol
Scholarships. "I wanted to do something to commemorate Bob’s love for
Hancock,"
said Mary Ann. "Hancock was his home, his life, where he
wanted to be."
Bob Nichol’s untimely death cut short his desire to
personally serve the children of Hancock, but Bob’s devotion inspired
the creation of the Hancock Community Education Foundation. Look
around you, don’t you see it,
he said, repeatedly, There’s great
need.
Bob lived it, shared it with his neighbors, and went to school in
Hancock. Bob wasn’t a dumbbell in school and he wasn’t a dumbbell in
life,
said John Rheinbeck, a fellow Hancock student. Bob associated
with everybody, there was no bully in him, he would rather make a
friend than lose one. He could get along with the devil. He treasured
his friendships, even had a special attachment to Salina, his cow,
Mary Ann remembered. Bob graduated from Hancock High School, worked
hard, raised two sons, John and Bob, and went to night school at
Syracuse University Business School. He stayed in Syracuse to
create a successful land development company.