Randy Nicholson

George Randolph (Randy) Nicholson finished his earthly race and went to be with his Lord and Savior on December 11, 2020.  A celebration of life will be held on Monday, December 21, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. at the Oldham Lane Church of Christ, 5049 Oldham Lane, with a private family burial to follow.  A time of visitation with the family will be on Sunday, December 20, 2020 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at Piersall Funeral Directors, 733 Butternut Street.  Everyone is encouraged to wear a mask (but not a necktie) and observe social distancing guidelines at both the visitation and the funeral service.  Randy’s service will be streamed live on the Oldham Lane Church of Christ website, www.olcoc.com/funeral .

Randy was born June 10, 1937, in Hobbs, New Mexico, to Walter Vaughn and Emma Jewell (Williams) Nicholson. At the age of 18 months, he and his siblings were placed in Boles Home for Children in Quinlan, Texas. There, Randy learned the importance of faith and hard work. He saved money from picking cotton to purchase a pig that he raised as his FFA (Future Farmers of America) project. He earned the highest award in FFA, the Lone Star Farmer Degree, for his success in raising his pig and selling her piglets.

After graduating from high school in 1955, Randy attended Abilene Christian College.  He worked full-time at Safeway while pursuing his college degree. During his sophomore year at ACC, Randy met two people who would change the course of his life. He became close friends with Hal McGlothlin, and he met Barbara Hart. Barbara’s parents, H.E. and Charlotte Hart, accepted Randy as their own and provided a model for Christian marriage and family. Randy and Barbara married in November of 1957.  He earned an accounting degree from ACC in 1959 and was honored to have Charlotte Hart escort him at his graduation ceremony.

Upon graduation, Randy left his job at Safeway and took a cut in pay to join an accounting firm in Abilene. In 1961, he earned his CPA certificate, and in 1962, he purchased the firm he had been working for. Soon after, Randy’s college friend, Hal McGlothlin, began encouraging him to come work for the McGlothlin family business. In 1963, Randy sold his accounting practice and joined the McGlothlins. This proved to be a great move that set him on a path for many unique business experiences including Radio London (a pirate radio station off the coast of London), Locus Construction International (a company that built hospitals, banks, and NATO housing in Belgium), United Network (an attempt at a new television network to compete with ABC, NBC, and CBS), Bank of Commerce, Gibson’s Discount Stores, and The Pancake House, to name a few. The relationship with the McGlothlin family was very special, and went beyond work – they became family.

In the late 1960s, Ray McGlothlin, Jr. and Randy began experimenting with retail gasoline by putting pumps in front of Gibson’s Discount stores. In 1969, when the fire code changed to allow self-service, they progressed to putting pumps in front of convenience stores. In 1971, E-Z Serve was incorporated with 21 self-serve stations. The company grew to include 1200 stations in 26 states, two refineries, trucking, exploration, and software development. In 1986, E-Z Serve was sold, but AutoGas Systems, Inc. was retained.  This was the subsidiary of E-Z Serve that developed the pay-at-the-pump concept, and Randy remained active in its management for the next 20+ years.

Randy served on many corporate and civic boards over the years, but especially enjoyed his involvement on the boards of not-for-profit organizations including:  Abilene Christian University, Abilene Christian Investment Management Company, Arms of Hope / Boles Home, and West Texas Rehabilitation Center.

As Randy reflected on his life, he noted there were many instances when he thought that he was facing adversity, only to find out that God was leading him to a path of blessing – which usually manifested itself in special relationships. One of his favorite scriptures was Psalms 27:10: “Even if my mother and father leave me, the Lord will take me in.” If you knew Randy, you knew how important God was to him.

Randy had a compassionate heart and giving spirit. He was deeply impacted by growing up in a situation where everything he possessed had been given to him – often by people who would never know him personally. Because of his background, he had a special place in his heart for encouraging young people who came from difficult backgrounds.

He also came to know the importance of family – both physical family and spiritual family. Randy loved being a grandfather. He had a special relationship with his grandson, Braden, and loved spending time with him. If you knew Randy, odds are good that you heard some “Braden stories” along the way. The church – his spiritual family -- always played an important role in Randy’s life. Relationships that he made at Highland, University, and Oldham Lane churches of Christ, as well as at Abilene Christian, sustained him throughout his life. Also, the small group that met for the past 25 years was very special to him.

Randy and Barbara together served many widows and widowers at Highland, University, and Oldham Lane through their quarterly luncheons. They also served deployed soldiers by sending care packages seven times annually.

Randy had a pituitary tumor when he was 40. He lived the remainder of his life with a fragile medical condition. He was blessed over the last 40+ years to be cared for by many special doctors including David Bailey, David Halbert, Paul Mani, and Fred White. The family is especially thankful to Dr. White and his staff for the countless hours they spent managing Randy’s complex condition. We are also very thankful for the team at Encompass Home Health who became like family over these last few years, and the nurses at Hendrick Hospital and In-Patient Hospice who cared for Randy these last few weeks. Additionally, we would like to offer special thanks to Mike Hart, Candy DeLaGarza, Karon Huey, Jeff Lewis, Rosemary Donnell, and Melinda Terry for their help in caring for Randy. Also, thank you to Randy’s many “lunch buddies” including Ray’s Thursday lunch gang and those who shared a meal with him at Whataburger, Chick-fil-A, Dixie Pig, …

Randy was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara; his parents, Walter and Jewell Nicholson; his in-laws, H.E. and Charlotte Hart; his brothers, James Vaughn and Charles; his sister Emma Jean; his brothers-in-law Lee Hart, Horace Hart, and Bill Waldron; his sisters-in-law, Betty Hart Waldron, Sally Hart, and Dorothy Hart; his cousin, Nick Nicholson; and his great-nephew, John Hart.

Randy is survived by his daughter, Randa, and her husband, Jeff, of Abilene; grandson, Braden, of Houston; his cousin, Woody Gilliland, and his wife LeeRuth, of Abilene; Helen Nicholson (Nick’s wife), of Abilene; several nieces and nephews; and his legacy of compassion, generosity, and love for the LORD.

In order to help preserve Randy’s legacy for future generations, the family asks that if you have a special memory of Randy, or if he touched your life in a unique way, please send a written account to Randa Upp, P.O. Box 6957, Abilene Texas 79608. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Arms of Hope (21300 State Highway 16 North, Medina, Texas 78055) or to the Helping Our Heroes Ministry or Solo Servants Ministry at Oldham Lane church of Christ (P.O. Box 5763, Abilene, Texas 79608).

Condolences may be offered to the family online at www.pbfuneraldirectors.com.