Ernest E. Nichols January 30, 1942 – January 02, 2019 Share this obituary Send Flowers Sign Guestbook| View Guestbook Entries| Send Sympathy Card Ernest Eugene Nichols, Engineer and Entrepreneur Durham – Ernest Eugene Nichols, beloved husband of Nancy Cramer Webb, died on January 2, 2019 in his home in Durham, NH. Ernie was the second son of Roland A. Nichols and Edith Sanborn of Chester, NH and is predeceased by his parents and two siblings. Through his mother, Ernie’s family can be traced to several Mayflower passengers and the colonial settlers of Ipswich and Salem, MA.
He is survived by his wife and step-children, David and Vicki Webb of Harpswell, ME; Michael Webb and Satu Haase-Webb of Washington, DC; John and Tammi Webb of Lee, NH; and Chris Webb and Crystal Rimoczy of Amesbury, MA, and eleven step-grandchildren, who affectionately referred to him as “Papa”. He was 76. Growing up in Chester, NH, Ernie was the first scout in Troop 163’s history to receive an Eagle Scout award in 1957, at the age of fifteen.
Ernie graduated with highest honors from Pinkerton Academy in 1960. In 1964, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (EE) degree from the University of New Hampshire, where he also ran track and was active in the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and a member of the Tau Beta Pi honor society. In 1966, Ernie received a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and Business from Stanford University.
Returning to his roots on the East Coast in the late 1960s, Ernie continued his research in signals processing and information engineering and taught at UNH. Ernie established ND Design, LLC, developing specialized software and voice over internet technology that is currently in use today. In August 1993, Ernie and Nancy married in Durham, NH, followed by a beautiful reception at the York Harbor Reading Room in York, ME.
When he was not reading, Ernie kept busy sailing, kayaking, windsurfing and boating in Great Bay, Portsmouth harbor and Wellfleet harbor on Cape Cod. Ernie is best remembered for his quiet and gentle manner, his dry sense of humor, his love for cooking, the great outdoors, and figuring out how things work. Ernie’s grandson Reilly Webb said, “Ernie is a sailor, a mountaineer, a programming wizard and master problem solver.
He’s the reason I entered into engineering as a profession”. Ernie’s nephew Charles Post said, “Ernie taught me why curiosity, ingenuity and passion are so important. He is proof that anything is possible if enough time is spent researching and fiddling, tinkering and learning”.
Trick kites, ice windsurfers, trebuchet, potato cannons are among the many devices, which “Papa” is remembered for building in his workshop to enjoy with his grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ernie’s name to the Society for the Preservation of New Hampshire Forests at www. gofundme.com/ernie-nichols.
A memorial and Celebration of Life service at the Durham Community Church located at 17 Main Street, Durham, New Hampshire at a later date. Visit www. kentandpelczarfh.com to sign an online guestbook.
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